Blood of the Moon
by Twilight Phantom Dragon
Summary: Sequel to Seperated Lovers. A month after the battle, life is good. However, when a messenger from Celestria comes with a request, Midna and Link must journey to the kingdom of Celestria. What challenges will they face there? LinkxMidna
1. What You've Done

**Author's Notes: One year ago, I started **_**'Separated Lovers'. **_**Now I bring you the sequel! I'm hoping this story will come out longer and by the ideas that are flying through my mind, it most likely will. The only bad thing is that school will be longer this year, so I'll update slowly. I just want to warn you all that it will take time for me to update as I've got other stories I work on as well as a lot of schoolwork (once school starts). This story's going to hold a lot of surprises (hopefully). The reason why it's called what it is… Well I'm sure you'll have fun finding that out for yourself. Well anyway, I hope you enjoy this prologue to **_**Blood of the Moon**_**. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs…**

--

"_Delay in vengeance gives a heavier blow."_

_John Ford_

_**Prologue: What You've Done**_

"_I present to you the ancient blade of the Twilight Realm, the Twi Blade. It's said to be extremely powerful. On top of that, the sheath is beautiful. Imagine how beautiful the blade within is. And how powerful you shall be once you wield it." The sword, still sheathed, was handed over._

"_Have you tried to draw it?" _

"_No. I'm loyal and I want to make sure your eyes are the first to look upon the blade. It was easy enough to steal. Devincha's daughter isn't too good at protecting her treasure." Snickers echoed within the hall._

"_Good." A nod of approval. "Now I will draw this mighty blade, so all will acknowledge me as king." A hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword. _

"…_Why haven't you pulled it out yet?" More tugging on the sword._

"_It's not budging! What trickery is this! What did you do to it?" Sweat started beading down the spy's face._

"_I didn't do anything. I said I never touched it. I didn't bewitch it." _

"_Silence! This blade is useless to me. Something keeps it from allowing me to draw it…"_

"_What do you suggest to do, my lord?" A small bow of his head._

_A sadistic grin covers his face, one that unnerves the spy. "What are you planning? My king… What do you-?!" _

_Screams in the dark._

"_Get this useless body away from me." A swish of a cape as he walks away. _

_Twin eyes gleam in the shadows. "My poor brother… He shall be avenged."_

--

"_Mama, mama! I don't wanna go into the forest. It's scary." The whines of a child._

"_Quiet down, sweetie. It isn't safe at our house anymore."_

"_Why?"_

"_I will explain all when you grow up. For now, run." For a while, silence is present except for the patter of feet and the breaking of twigs._

"_Mama… I'm tired." The little one is slowing._

"…_I'll carry you."More silence._

"_Where's uncle? Is he okay?"_

"_He's… in another place."_

"_Oh." More silence as the child comprehends this._

"_Is uncle why we're running?"What a smart child._

"_Yes. Now quiet down, sweetie." Silence until the yells of soldiers reach them._

"_Mama… I'm scared."_

"_Just keep quiet." The yells are getting closer and her feet are starting to hurt. A sharp pain shoots through her back and the child lets out a squeak of fear. _

"_I need to tell you something."_

"_I thought we were supposed to stay silent." So adorable._

"_This is important. Listen carefully. Keep running straight until you get to an entirely black tree. One with no markings on it. Got it?"_

"_Black tree, no markings… What's happening, Mama?"_

"_Once you get there, someone will come up to you. He has green hair, you can't miss him. Follow him. Now I'm going to put you down and keep running. Don't look back."_

"_Mama… What's happening? What about you?"_

"_I'll be fine. Just do what I said and he will explain everything to you when he thinks you're ready."_

"_I'm ready now, Mama."_

"_Not now, sweetie. Later… Can you listen to me?"_

"…_Yes Mama."_

"_Now go and don't look back." The child's feet touch the ground. The pattering of small footsteps is fast and she slows down._

_The child can't help it. One glance back when 'mama' screams. "Mama!" Red everywhere and soldiers coming._

"_Mama… I will help you." With that, the child continues running with the image in mind._

--

"_Can you tell me now?" So impatient… I hate that she'll change. _

"_Fine… Now listen carefully as this story is important."_

"_Okay!" A bright response to hear such a grim story. I want to take back the promise of telling her._

"_This story has been passed down through our ancestors for hundreds of years. Now that you have reached your 13__th__ year, I shall tell you this story." Two eyes are watching in interest. _

"_It's about why we live here, isn't it?" What a smart child… Just like me._

"_Yes it is. Now pay attention and no distractions." The child nods once._

"_Alright."_

"_What did I say? No speaking." Another nod, but followed with no sounds. "Good. Now we shall begin…"_

--

"_You can't blood bound people! It's evil." A snarl rose from her voice. He only laughed._

"_Oh really… Dear sister… Blood bonding has always been a part of our world. You cannot deny it. It is an act of loyalty and fealty to one's lord, not an evil ceremony." _

"_Not when the guard doesn't wish to be blood bound. Do not do this!"_

"_You defend this meager boy… His uncle has given him to me. I do what I wish with the boy."_

"_You're making a big mistake."_

"…_Have you fallen for this boy?" The smirk on his face was large._

"_What?! No… I just don't want his life to be wasted on something he doesn't want."_

"_Sure, sure… That's the only reason." Laughter, laughter taunting her._

"_Stop it! No blood bonding! Now stop it or else!" Magic glows in her hands._

"_You really want to fight? Ha, what a joke." Magic leaves her hands and hits into him._

"_You call yourself a king. What type of king are you if you blood bond those who do not want it?"Another shot of magic towards him._

"_You dare fight me! Your own brother." The smirk is replaced by a frown. _

"_You will not blood bound this boy. If you do, it'll be the last thing you do." Mocking laughter._

"_I don't think I'll listen to you." His back is to her now. Her eyes narrow._

"_Fine… You leave me no choice. Sorry, brother." Magic shoots out of her hands and hits him to the ground. "I'm sorry… I didn't want to kill you."_

"_You kill me?!" He laughs. "Not likely." Magic surrounds her._

_Screams echo in the throne room. He lowers his head._

"_I cannot kill you, sister dear… However, you are banished forevermore from here. Now run while you can. Run far, far away." _

_She pants, knowing she cannot win this. The boy will be blood bound, no matter what she does. She has lost, he has won. All is lost. Eyes narrowed, she stands in defiance. Defiance is all that she has left for now._

"_You cannot banish me…" A confused expression enters his face. "I choose not to be part of this kingdom. I will live without anyone ruling over me and you will never boss me around again. I will never come back here again. Good-bye brother. I hope you burn." She snarls._

"_Bye-bye sister dear." _

_That is the last the kingdom sees of her._

--

"_This is so easy! The throne will fall soon." Magic is sparkling around her entire body._

"_Be careful, my child. Do not overuse your power."_

"_Don't worry. I'll be fine." Not as much joy in her voice… There used to be more. Now her voice is more determined._

"_I know. You are the first to hold the power that will take the family down. I have never seen it in anyone else except for your father."_

"_My father… I miss him."_

"_So do I."_

"_He would be proud of me and my power, right?"_

"_He would be proud of whatever you have become."_

"_So will you?"_

"_Of course… Please don't make mistakes. Don't get yourself killed." Tears stream down and splatter on the ground. "I don't care if you win or not. Just come home safely."_

"_I shall win. I shall kill the entire family for what they have done." The familiar angry voice from her. Why can't she be happy again?_

"_Just come home."_

"_I promise I will, mother."_

"_Good…"More tears fall._

"_Do not cry, mother. I will be fine." Magic envelopes her form and she begins stepping away. "I love you, mother."_

"_I know… I love you too. Good-bye child." Fast footsteps make me raise my face. She is gone._

_Whisperings reach me. Whisperings from her as she speaks to herself. She forgot how good my hearing is._

"_The royal family of Celestria shall fall one by one." _

--

**Author's Notes: Wow, this was really fun to write. It was fun to write a prologue in a different fashion. These are all flashbacks if you couldn't tell. Don't worry; Midna will come in the next chapter. I hope these flashbacks make you wonder what will happen and I hope it was mysterious enough. Well, reviews are appreciated.**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon**_


	2. The Only Shadow

**Author's Notes: Yes, it's been a very long time since I updated. And I'm incredibly sorry for that. I don't have any good excuses other than my own laziness and my preoccupation with other projects. However, I won't give up on this story. I promise you that I will finish it one day. For the moment, you get another chapter and my deepest apologies. I understand if you want to throw rotten fruit at me… The good news is that I did update (thank you Hourglass of Fantasies for the nudge to update) and that my writing has improved since my last update. I hope you enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs…**

----

"_Some remedies are worse than the disease."_

_~Publilius Syrus_

**Chapter 1: The Only Shadow**

It had been nearly a month since the battle between Midna and Galathron. Life had returned to normal; or as normal the Castle Town could ever be. Of course, there was still the odd talk about Griff's death or how Galathron had been defeated. That was all normal. Everybody talked, speculating about it though other news had already covered most of the rumors surrounding that day.

Midna had found the rare moment when she wasn't being held down by the busy life of being the princess. She was using this time to walk through the lush gardens with Link by her side. A content silence rested over the two as they each enjoyed the serenity that had come to the Twilight Realm ever since Galathron had been ousted.

Midna glanced over at Link. He was watching the black and purple sky with a nostalgic expression. Guilt stabbed at Midna's stomach. It was clear to anyone that the Hylian missed the sun, the clear blue skies, and the vivid greens of life that the Light World hosted. The Twilight Realm was dampening his spirit, no matter how hard he tried to act as if he wasn't homesick.

"Link…" Midna paused to allow the boy time to look at her. "Don't you miss your home?" She knew that if she ever left the Twilight Realm for an extended period of time, she would miss it dreadfully.

Link smiled slightly. "I do a bit, but I'd rather be here with you." He was being truthful, yet Midna could see the look in his eyes as he thought of the sun warming his skin.

"I'm sorry." She had always been raised to always look people in the eye, but at the moment, she could not face Link. It was because of her that he felt that deep sickness known as homesickness. If not for her, he would be back there. Herding goats in the sun, maybe? Or riding Epona?

"Don't be. I want to stay here with you. Without you, life doesn't have the same flavor in it. It's dull." Link pressed, recalling the depressing days he had spent after she had broken the mirror. He was never going to go back to that even if the homesickness gnawed him to bits. At least Midna was here to make those bits feel better.

"Idiot." Midna hissed, a tear glistening in one eye. She easily blinked it away, just like her stoic mother had taught her to do. "Why would you choose me over your land of sun and warmth? Choose this dreary, yet beautiful realm over yours?"

"Home is where the heart is. And my heart isn't at home in the Light Realm if I can't contact you. It's not like I can go back anyway. Devincha warned us against using the amulet and the mirror is shattered. So cheer up."

Midna did not feel cheery at all, but she offered up a weak smile to Link. She had always been good at hiding her emotions, another princess lesson from her mother. Yet, Link always managed to see something more behind her clever disguises. There was only one way left for him to cheer her up.

Link, now grinning mischievously, pounced at Midna. Midna's attention had been on the cobblestone path they had been walking on, so she was caught completely off-guard. The two tumbled on to the nearby flowerbed (the gardener would be furious later), crushing all the innocent black flowers. Link had Midna pinned to the ground, the same grin still on his face. Midna wore a look of utter annoyance. Quickly, Link gave the princess a peck on her forehead, causing her to blush. He quickly got off and nearly skipped a few feet away.

He turned back to Midna. "Catch me if you can." The kiss and the taunt poked at Midna's pride.

The plan to cheer Midna had certainly worked though cheer might be the wrong word to use. Midna's annoyed look had turned to one of indignation. She pushed herself off the decimated flowerbed and began running after Link. They had abandoned all the etiquette required in court (not that Link had much anyway).

"Once I catch you, you'll pray that you were never conceived." Midna snarled at the laughing Hylian.

Link weaved though some sober shrubs with Midna following him. The two continued this chase for quite a while until Midna finally caught up with Link.

For some reason unknown to the princess, he had gradually begun slowing down. His footsteps had grown more and more leaden. She had chosen that moment to spring her attack, knocking them both into another flowerbed. To her surprise, he had toppled over quite easily and did not put up a struggle as they lay there on the crushed flowers.

At first, Midna was sure Link was fooling around and that he would try something sneaky if she fell for his trick. The princess nudged the Hylian's side, trying to tickle him into moving. No response. A small scowl flickered across her face before it was replaced by a rather scary grin. She tugged at one of his pointed ears, sure that it would cause him to holler. He had always hated it when she did that. This time, his only response was a very light groan. Then silence.

"Link…"

Midna tugged harder at his ear. Worry was beginning to fill her. What was wrong with Link? He couldn't have fainted out of fatigue. She had seen him go longer distances and still have the energy to fight off whatever ambushed them. There was no question that he was any less fit than he had been in the Light Realm. He had not gotten fat or lazy. He sparred with various guards frequently and he often explored the forest by Castle Town. There was no reason for him to have gotten so tired after such a little run.

"If you're fooling around, I swear I'll kill you." Midna murmured into his ear. She had gotten off him at this point, so that she was now sitting beside the boy. "Please Link… Get up." She wasn't aware of how dangerously close her voice was to completely breaking.

When he showed no signs of movement, Midna decided that she would have to take matters into her own hands. Carefully, the princess rolled Link over on to his back. There were a few smears of pollen on the front of his tunic as well as some stray petals. His face was also covered in flower residue. She dusted this off.

Laying a hand on his face, she found it to be colder than usual. This scared Midna. A light dweller couldn't adjust body temperatures at will. A colder body meant death. The thought chilled Midna though the rise and fall of his chest was a comforting sight. But it didn't stop her from opening her mouth and letting out a high shriek (something she never did unless circumstances really were that bad).

--

Midna sat on a stool by Link's bedside. The bed was a simple cot with white blankets. It stood out harshly in a room that had black walls; customary in the Twilight Castle. There was a large window meant to provide a wonderful view for patients though it was currently shuttered. Instead a fire in the fireplace was burning brightly. The fire made the small room uncomfortably warm, but the healer had insisted upon it. There was also a small table by the bed that was currently the host of a small tray of food; scrambled eggs, a glass of water, and a cup of tea that was already becoming cold. The tray was untouched.

Link was currently sleeping. His temperature was no longer the frigid cold that it had been when Midna had touched him in the gardens. It had warmed up somewhat, so that it was now only a degree or two below the regular temperature. He was sleeping calmly enough though earlier there had been a moment when sweat had soaked his body and he had been muttering cryptic statements. Even with her excellent ears, she had been unable to discern the muddled words.

The healer, a plump Twili with frizzy, dark green hair and a pair of golden spectacles, tottered into the room. Her birth name was Valtina, but everyone knew her as Val. Val carried a clipboard in her hands and wore a white coat a few sizes too long. She wore a grim expression on her face.

"Yes?" Midna asked. She was concerned for Link, but she was positive that Val would know something about what had struck him. She was the best healer in the world. If she did not know, no one did.

Valtina began with a small sigh, which immediately dried Midna's hope. "As you know, I have limited experience with light dwellers. In fact, I have none." A look of distress flashed on to Midna's face and the princess opened her mouth. Val held up one small finger and shook it.

"Now, now, don't start weeping now, Princess. Let me finish first. I have concluded that this mysterious illness that has descended upon him is not anything any Twili would ever catch. In fact, it is a very rare condition that has not occurred for many years. Now usually this would provide a dilemma as an unknown condition is one that often leads to death." A soft cry escaped Midna's lips.

The cry was ignored by the healer. "Fortunately, I have managed to find some information about it in our library. It was a long time ago, before the split of Devincha and Gavin. A Twili ruler had managed to capture three light dwellers who had accidentally stumbled through the mirror. He was not malevolent to them though he did keep them in the Castle. They lived in luxury, yet they were never allowed to go home or anywhere out of the Castle without a guard. They never did return home or even to the Light Realm again. We have records of what the King learned from them, which I'm sure your tutors have told you about. Then they simply disappeared. I, and a large portion of the population, assumed that they had been killed for a failed escape plan.

"However, that was not the case. After some digging through texts, I found mentions of a rather interesting phenomenon. All three of the light dwellers had fallen ill. Their skin had turned cold, they suffered from fainting fits, and their sleep was disturbed by sweat and tears. Eventually they grew weaker and weaker before death struck." Val paused momentarily, allowing the words to sink into Midna's head.

Link's skin had gotten cold. He had fallen earlier today. And he had suffered in his sleep. All the symptoms seemed to add up. The same thing that had struck those unfortunate light dwellers so long ago had returned to haunt Link.

"You don't think that…" Midna's voice trailed off. Val was not one who mentioned anything frivolous. She was a Twili who only spoke about things if they were relative especially when it had something to do with her profession. She would not bring this up unless she was certain (or almost certain) that this was what was plaguing Link.

"I do." Val nodded her head gravely. "They were unsure of what had caused it, so they brought in more light dwellers to research. These light dwellers died of the same cause. However, in one case, the King took the light dweller back to the Light Realm. The light dweller had been a favorite of the King who felt that the light dweller might want to see his home before death took him. For a few days, the symptoms kept up before vanishing. That light dweller was the only one to recover.

"The condition is called the Viduata Solis though it is also referred to as the Sun Sickness. Because it is not relevant to the Twili, it is not taught at medical institutions so it is fortunate that we have these texts. Now, what the ancient healer believed was that this condition was brought on by a deprivation of the sun for the light dweller. As you know, light dwellers live in the sun. Even in the night, there is a shining object in the sky; the moon. A long period of time spent without the sun leads to catastrophe to a light dweller's body."

"So, we just have to get Link back to the Light Realm." Val nodded as Midna spoke. "How long do we have?"

A knocking on the door disturbed the conversation. A voice from the other side announced, "There is a messenger from the Kingdom of Celestria here to see you, Princess. I ordered him to stay in the throne room, but he says it's quite urgent."

Midna sighed angrily. She did not want to deal with whatever the Celestrian messenger had to say whether it was a war declaration for killing Galathron or a request to rejoin with Midna's own kingdom. She wanted to stay here to look after Link and listen to Valtina talk about the Viduata Solis.

"Umm… Princess, he followed me here." Some rather loud shouts followed between the two of them. "Should I knock him out?" The guard asked though his question was left unanswered as a loud clang sounded. This was followed by the door being shoved open.

A harried Twili stood there, panting as if he had not rested at all throughout the journey to the Twilight Castle. He wore a helmet over bright orange hair and very light armor meant for messengers. He held a small club, which he had used to knock the guard out. The crest of Celestria, a crescent moon with three dots, was on a badge worn on the messenger's right side.

"I'm sorry for barging in, but it's urgent. The people are going wild and chaos rules Celestria now that our King is dead. Please, we need your help in finding a new ruler." The words were out of his mouth before Midna could remark on his rude behavior. His head was bowed to the floor. "You killed our old King and we bless you for that as he was a wretched King. But now you must come and find our missing princess before anarchy destroys us all."

----

**A/N: And that's it for this chapter. I'm proud of it especially since it's been a while since I've wrote anything Zelda-related. I thought a cliffhanger was a good place to cut off at. The title is what is it is because the only downside (or shadow) of Link staying in the Twilight Realm is the Viduata Solis. Reviews are greatly appreciated. If you want, go ahead and guess as to the meaning of Viduata Solis. It does not mean Sun Sickness. If you're the first to get it right, I'll add a little note to you on my next chapter. Will Midna travel to Celestria to help restore order? And what will happen to Link? All will be revealed someday. **

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon**_


	3. A Stubborn Mule

**Author's Notes: I've decided that I'll be working on this fanfic solely. No other distractions, at least on the writing side of things unless I have a good idea for a one-shot. I'm hoping to finish this story by the summer, but because I have no idea of how many chapters there will be, I can't say if that goal is reachable. This story will be longer than the first. That is something I know for sure. Before I start this chapter, I'd like to give a big thank-you to my reviewers! Since no one guessed at the meaning, Viduata Solis means something along the lines of 'sun deprived' in Latin. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs…**

----

"_The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me."_

_~Ayn Rand_

_**Chapter 2: A Stubborn Mule**_

Midna looked at the messenger carefully. He was ragged with brambles stuck on his cloak. There were bags under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept for a while. He had obviously come in a rush and Midna felt pity for whatever creature he had ridden upon. The messenger's distressed expression was the only thing that kept her from answering his request immediately.

Finally the messenger spoke rather nervously, "So? Will you aid us, Princess?"

"Is there no body in your land that can find your missing princess?" Midna asked. She couldn't just right-out refuse the request just because she would rather help Link. That didn't sit well with diplomacy.

"The guards are either dead or scattered. I'm not actually even part of the Royal Family's command." The messenger sounded embarrassed to be admitting this and he glanced down at his feet. "I just happen to be a concerned citizen who managed to creep in and take some armor. The fact that I could take it with no attempts to stop me proves how lost our kingdom is. The people who remain have tried searching for the princess, but she is proving difficult to find."

"Your own princess would desert her people?" Midna asked in surprise, watching the boy carefully. Now that she looked carefully at him, he didn't look like the average messenger. For one, he was too young. It was hard to notice at first because he was so tall, but a carefully examination of his face and his body structure revealed that he was just a scrawny beanstalk. His hair was too untamed to be part of a guard that no doubt had to have their hair trimmed. In fact, she had never seen anyone especially in the Celestrian order that had mop-like hair like his. Despite the hardness in his bright yellow eyes, there was a naivety in them. His ears were larger than they should've been on his head. He obviously hadn't grown into them yet.

"Well…" The boy paused, reaching up to scratch his hair only to find the metal of his helmet in its place. As if remembering his role as a distinguished messenger, he let his hand drop to his side. "She left because she didn't like Galathron." Midna could tell the boy wasn't being completely honest, but she didn't bug him about it.

"Galathron is dead. Why can't she return and bring order back to Celestria?" Midna asked, crossing her arms. What type of princess would abandon her own people? It disgusted Midna though a part of her believed that there was some reason she hadn't returned.

"I don't know why she hasn't come back!" The boy shouted. His more stoic messenger role seemed to have been dropped. Tears glistened in his eyes and he shook his head, causing his orange hair to fall in front of his eyes. This time his voice was quiet as he muttered, "I don't know…"

An awkward silence descended upon the room. Midna could see the despair in the boy. He was obviously very passionate about Celestria and perhaps the princess? Could he have known her before she left? Midna could not recall ever knowing that Galathron had a little sister. She had always believed him to be a single child, but it seemed as if that was not true. Even if Midna wanted to help the boy, she could not leave Link in his sickness for another land. Screw diplomacy, Link was more important to her at the moment.

"I'll go and help."

Midna and the boy looked over in surprise at the bed. Link had pushed himself up on his elbows. There was a mix of pain and determination in his eyes. A smile had found its way on to Link's face. Midna wasn't sure how long he had been awake, but it appeared he had been conscious long enough to get what was going on.

"Oh how wonderful! A light dweller will help us!" The boy looked incredibly fascinated by Link and by the fact that the Hylian was offering help. He obviously held none of the prejudice against light dwellers that was so common among the Celestrians. Or maybe he did, but had put it aside on the offer of help.

Midna was not so quick to respond, but when she did, it was negative. "Link, you can't travel anywhere in your condition! You need to rest." She pushed on his chest gently, trying to get him to lie back down. Link fought back against her.

"So you will not help?" The boy's large, point ears had fallen downwards. "Then I should be on my way." The boy turned away and began walking towards the door.

"No, wait." Link called after the boy. The boy turned with a solemn look on his face. "How old are you?"

The boy thought about it for a while as if he was wondering whether to try and lie or not. Finally he spoke truthfully, "I'm 12, but I'm big for my age."

"And you made the journey all the way here? By yourself?" There was a note of admiration in Link's voice. While he had never gone to Celestria, Midna had shown him maps. It wasn't an easy journey. It also happened to be a rather long journey.

"Yep." The boy nodded proudly. His face fell. "Maybe I should've just stayed home and tried locating the princess by myself."

"I'll help." Link replied. He couldn't stand the thought of the boy returning to a kingdom with no ruler. It wasn't the right thing to do to allow such a thing. "Can you give me a moment with Midna?" The boy nodded, a look of astonishment and hope spreading across his features.

"Alright." The boy nodded eagerly. He walked outside, spinning the small club and whistling as he went. Valtina bowed her head to Midna and began to leave. The princess signaled for her to stay, in case they needed to discuss medical issues. As soon as the door clicked shut, Midna turned to Link.

"Why do you want to help? You have a disease known as Viduata Solis, meaning if you don't get sun soon, you will die." Midna spat the words into Link's face, causing the boy to flinch. "We need to get you back to the Light Realm as soon as possible. We don't have the time to go off to Celestria and help them!"

"But you need to help him. He wouldn't have come all this way unless things were really bad over there. Midna, can't you understand that the boy risked his life on the journey just so he could plead for aid!" Link defended hotly. He had sat up now and was staring at Midna. In a softer tone, he added, "Don't you want good relations with Celestria?"

"Of course I do, but I also want you safe. How would I be able to search for a way back to the Light Realm and concentrate on finding the princess at the same time? Especially if I have to worry about you while we're Celestria. There are Twili there who hate light dwellers, Link. You'll get murdered if the Viduata Solis doesn't kill you first."

"Maybe the Celestrians know a way to get into the Light Realm. Maybe they'll help us if we help them first. And if we help, they'll see not all light dwellers are bad." Link said thoughtfully.

"But they won't give you the chance to prove yourself."

"The messenger-boy didn't hate me as soon as he saw me." Link said with a triumphal grin. "Doesn't that prove that not all the Celestrians hate light dwellers? There will surely be some who are willing to let me help them."

Midna bit her lip lightly. She didn't like it that Link was making some sense. "What about your condition? Val said that it makes your body weaker and weaker. If someone does attack, you won't be able to fight back. And what if you don't have the strength to make the journey in the first place?"

Link opened his mouth to reply, but Val stepped in between the arguing duo. "He's a strong boy, Princess. He can do it if he puts his mind to it." Midna stared at Valtina, her jaw dropping open in shock. The healer was supposed to make the patient rest, wasn't she? Not encourage him to go on adventures that would drain his energy. "Oh, Princess, I know that I'm supposed to tell him to rest, but he won't listen. So I may as well help him along." She smiled innocently.

Midna did not agree with Val's philosophy. "But what if all the exertion makes the disease work faster? I can't let him die here."

"It won't. At least there have been no signs of it in the books. He has two weeks after the first symptoms show up. The journey to Celestria lasts about a week. So you'll have a whole week to locate the princess and then you can send Link home. Link, you may get tired, but I can give you some herbs to keep your energy up." Val smiled warmly at the two.

Link smiled back at her, giving her a nod of thanks for the help. "She's right. You can't convince me not to go. I won't leave the Twilight Realm until my last day or until the princess is restored to her throne in Celestria. You're stuck with me."

"But…" Midna glanced between the two. She knew she was fighting a losing case. There was no way she could convince Link not to go. Of course, she could knock him out, search for a way to get him home, and then throw him into the portal. It was an attractive solution, but Midna discarded it rather quickly because it would leave Link very angry at her. Val, the Castle's own healer, was against Midna in this case. She was positive that Link would be fine and that they would have enough time to send Link home.

"But we won't be able to travel back here after we leave for Celestria? We'd have to send you back to the Light Realm from Celestria." Midna said weakly. It was her last chance at trying to win a losing battle.

"There aren't any documents here about getting back to the Light Realm, right?" Midna nodded unhappily. She had already searched the library after breaking the mirror and she had come up with nothing. "We're not supposed to use the amulet for whatever reason Devincha had, right?" Midna nodded again. Of course, they would use it if they could not find any other way, but the grave voice of Devincha was not one that could be forgotten. "And there's a chance that the Celestrian library will have something about portals to the Light Realm, right?" Again, Midna nodded with a glum expression on her face.

"Now, isn't all that in our best interest to go?" Link asked with a smile on his face. He knew he had won this. They would go to Celestria all together. There was nothing Midna could do to stop this from occurring.

"Fine." Midna grumbled angrily. She didn't like losing even to Link. He reached over and squeezed her hand in his own. This brought a small smile to Midna's face.

"I'll go and send the boy in here." Val waddled out of the room, a smile slipping on to her face as she pulled out of the sight of the two lovers.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way. I'm not going to die." Link had voiced Midna's concerns aloud and it struck her hard.

"You better not die." Midna said through the tears that were forming.

Quickly she blinked them away as usual. This time, one tear escaped and slid down her cheek. Link lifted his hand, brushing it away with the back of a bare hand. He had stopped wearing gauntlets when he had come here, not needing them unless he was sparring with the guards.

Their moment was interrupted by the door opening up. Link quickly let his hand drop away from Midna's face. There was a grin on the boy's face as if he expected that Link had won. However, the grin did not reach his eyes. He was still unsure of the results of the talk.

Link glanced at Midna, prompting her to say something. With a sigh, the Twilight Princess said, "We will both accompany you to Celestria and help you find your princess. On one condition." Link looked at Midna curiously. He didn't complain, just stared at her as if trying to read her mind.

The boy was smiling largely. "I'll do anything." He said with a bow of his head. It was easy to see how hard it was for him to contain his excitement. Any less control on his emotions and the boy would've been bouncing from wall to wall in a hyper fit.

"We get to use the library." Midna had been unsure if they would get to use the library in the Celestrian castle. So it was best to get some insurance on that from the boy.

"That's all?" It was clear the boy had been expecting something a little tougher. Midna nodded and he smiled, "Of course."

"Then we'll go."

The cap on his excitement was blasted off. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" The boy's speech was quick as he shook first Midna and then Link's hands. "You don't know how much this means to me, or the rest of Celestria. We'll leave straight away and maybe there can be a feast to welcome you if we can pull together the staff." The boy jumped up and down in his ecstasy. How Midna had ever thought the boy was a regular, prestigious messenger escaped her mind. Surely he hadn't been that good of an actor. Then again, she had been paying little attention to him since Link had been on her mind when the messenger had first arrived.

Midna watched with some amusement before realizing that she would have to be stuck with the boy the entire week that it took to get to Celestria. That wiped the smile off her face. A bit of hyperactivity was okay, but to be surrounded by it day and night… That would surely drive anyone crazy. She glanced over at Link to see if he was having the same thoughts, but he seemed to be amused by the boy's frenzy. Either he didn't mind or he hadn't realized it yet.

"What's your name, boy?" Link finally asked, causing the messenger-boy to quit his rather ridiculous display.

"My parents named me Veiviser." The boy's nose wrinkled in disgust. "But I like Vei better." He smiled again.

"Alright, Vei… I suppose you already know Princess Midna." Veiviser nodded his head. "And I'm Link." Link held one hand for Veiviser to shake again.

"It's good to meet you, Link. And Princess Midna." Veiviser bowed his head to Midna, a smile on his face. He was in a considerably better mood since they had agreed to come with him.

"You can just call me Midna." If they were going to spend a week together, Midna wanted to drop all the honorifics. Midna always asked her subjects to call her just Midna, but there were always those who would not drop the 'Princess' or 'Your Majesty' no matter what. Hopefully the boy was not one of those.

His eyes glittered as he nodded his head. "Okay, Midna." This brought a smile to her face. Maybe the journey would not be too bad despite the boy's hyperactive moods.

"Let's get going! I'll tell you more on the way." Veiviser grinned boyishly. Despite his best efforts, the grin was interrupted by a large yawn. The boy rubbed at his eyes before quickly glancing at Midna and Link, "Come on."

As much as Midna would've loved to get going, she could see that the fatigue was wearing down Veiviser. Sternly she shook her head. "We won't be leaving today. Today you will be getting a hot meal and a good bed to rest in. Tomorrow we shall set out, but we will take breaks to rest the Twili Messengers and ourselves along the way. Understood?"

"But then it'll take forever." Veiviser whined. It seemed that now that they had agreed, he had dropped all pretense of being an older, mature messenger in favor of this more immature personality. "What if the Castle is in ruins by the time we get there?"

"It won't be. I doubt the Celestrians are in that big of a panic." Midna could not be sure about that, but she could not imagine anybody in such a panic as to wreck the Castle. "It'll only take a week, which isn't very long. You will do as I say because I am the Princess and you need the help to find your own princess." She had switched to her royal voice, a tone she hardly ever used but was useful to get what she wanted.

"Fine." The boy grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Come on, I'll show you the dining room and we can find you some food, Vei." Link said, pushing himself out of bed.

Midna watched the Hylian boy cautiously, but he showed no signs of weakness. In fact, his movements were completely normal as if he had never fainted. How long the strength would last, Midna wasn't sure of and she was afraid to find out. If Link collapsed on the journey, what would they do? It would take a lot of time to get to Lunaris, the capital of Celestria, if they stopped to rest every single time Link fell (depending on how many times he did faint). Maybe they could carry him, but Midna hated to think about causing discomfort to the Hylian.

"Midna, you coming?" Link had paused at the doorway, upon realizing that Midna was not following him.

"Yeah, yeah." Midna followed after Link, worry still plaguing her mind. It was terrible that a joyous day like this one could end with such trouble, but that was always how life was, wasn't it? A day would start completely normal, maybe even better than usual. And then wham! Something bad, a death or a fatal illness, would hit.

----

**A/N: Another chapter done! I don't know when my next chapter will be posted. Truthfully, I'll be going out of town and losing my Internet access from June 18 to the 28. So I'm not even going to start writing for quite a while… I'm hoping that I can get another chapter done before July sets in despite my long vacation because I have family coming in July. That'll leave me with little time to write unless I can get away from their clutches (they're not that bad). To give you all a little example of what will be going on next chapter, I'll just have to say that it'll involve the thrill of packing and the beginning of a journey as well as a story from Vei. Well, don't forget to leave a review to get your complimentary basket of chocolate and muffins. **

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	4. Byebye Sister

**Author's Notes: Well, I'm back from my trip! It was fun, but it's nice to be home, typing away on my keyboard. Family will be coming in a few days, so I'll lose computer time on July 2. However, I'll be free until then… And even then, I'll try and type up chapters while they're sleeping. In this chapter, Vei will be telling his story. I'll be putting them in flashback form (italics) because it's more interesting for me to write like that, but he's just telling the story regularly. Understood? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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"_Now we go in content_

_To liberty, and not to banishment."_

_~William Shakespeare_

_**Chapter 3: Bye-bye Sister**_

It was nearly time to leave for Celestria and Midna had not finished packing yet. She knew she wasn't taking much since the journey would not allow for that much luggage. However, she wasn't sure exactly what she should bring. Finishing with the essentials such as an extra cloak and food had been simple, but now Midna was hesitating over a few things.

The first of these was the Twi Blade. It lay quietly in its sheath; the only movements from it were the flickering blue Twilight designs. Midna wasn't sure whether or not she would need the blade. Assassins might attack, meaning that it should be brought. However, the Celestrian Twili might feel threatened by this intruder coming into their realm with a sword by her side. It might prompt them into violence.

There was the other problem that Griff had warned her not to use the blade. She had followed his advice and had not used the blade since the battle with Galathron. However, she had touched up on her sword skills with Link to teach her and she had often removed the blade to marvel at its beauty. Staring at it now, Midna couldn't take it anymore.

"I'll keep it hidden," she muttered to herself. With care, Midna slid the sheath into her pack after one last glance at the obsidian blade that lay within.

If she was taking the Twi Blade, she may as well take along Devincha's amulet as well. Midna withdrew the black star-like amulet from the drawer. Some light from the brazier in her room struck the purple gem, illuminating two swirling shapes that seemed to exist within the stone.

Midna hadn't seen this before and she leaned closer to the gemstone. However, the shapes disappeared before she could get a good look at them. Midna cast the strange occurrence from her mind. It had been a trick of the light, nothing more. At least she hoped it had been. There were already too many things for her to worry about and she definitely did not need another.

As she placed the amulet along with the Twi Blade, a thought struck her. Without someone who had the blood of the Celestrian royal family, the amulet was useless. She had been able to use it with Griff because he was blood-bound to Galathron. However, now she was without any member of the Celestrian blood. Maybe seeking the princess had other benefits, other than helping Celestria. A smile briefly touched her face.

The smile was shattered by pounding on her door. "Midna! Hurry up!" Link called through the thick wood.

An impatient voice behind Link added in, "We have to go!" That was Veiviser.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Midna quickly pulled the straps of her pack tight. She hoisted the pack up on her shoulder and hurried to the door. Opening it, she saw an excited-looking Veiviser and a grinning Link.

Veiviser had cleaned himself up rather nicely. There were no more burrs stuck to his clothing and he had washed away all the grime last night. He had even agreed to changing cloaks as his had been tattered. Link was also looking better, as if the sickness had never struck him. Midna knew it was only time before he looked a lot worse.

"You sure took your time getting ready, Midna." Veiviser said. The Twili boy had lost more and more of his respectful attitude as time wore on. A part of Midna appreciated his readiness to act as if she was just another Twili; another part of her was rather angry at his rude behavior.

"We'll see how fast you can get ready when I'm done with you." Midna snarled at him, causing the boy to rush ahead to the stables.

"That was rude of you." Link noted as the two began walking after Veiviser. "But I can't really blame you for it." He added with a wry smile.

The two reached the stables. Three Twilight Messengers were waiting outside for them. Their markings were green unlike the other Messengers Link had seen who had had red markings. They were also a lot friendlier than the enemies who had attacked him and Midna.

Veiviser was currently rubbing the head of one of the Messengers. The Messenger didn't look too happy to be leaving already. It had only been yesterday that the duo had arrived. While the Messenger had been given a warm place to sleep, he wasn't eager to be setting out already. Veiviser mumbled something to the Messenger, causing the Messenger to grunt. The boy laughed before raising his head.

"Eclipse doesn't want to leave yet." The Messenger nodded his head in agreement. "But that's too bad." Eclipse growled at Vei, unhappy to be teased like this.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride a different Messenger and give Eclipse time to rest?" Midna asked as she approached.

"I can't ride another Messenger. Eclipse and I are best friends." Veiviser smiled fondly at Eclipse. "Anyway, he wants to find Princess Kamaria as much as I do." The Messenger seemed to brighten considerably at the princess' name, letting out a bark of approval.

"Very well." Midna still wasn't sure it was wise to take a Messenger that had been overridden the day before, but she kept the thought to herself. She couldn't imagine riding any other Messenger but her own as well, so she understood.

"Hello Sleipnir." Midna ran a hand through the Messenger's mane, prompting a low rumbling to come from deep within the Messenger's throat.

Sleipnir had been Midna's mount for a long time. During Zant's invasion, the Messenger had hidden out in the forest. He had tried to search for Midna while avoiding Zant, but had been unable to find his rider. Because of this, Sleipnir had gained a rather protective side and he always felt better when Midna was near him.

Link stood, watching Midna and Veiviser greet their respective Messengers. The remaining one would be his. Link cast a doubtful eye over the beast. He had never ridden a Twilight Messenger nor had he ever wanted to. Epona had been his sole mount. Until now. He desperately hoped that the Messenger wouldn't throw him off.

Midna paused in greeting Sleipnir to look over at Link. She gestured towards the remaining Messenger. "Link, I'd like you to meet Macha. She's a good girl." Seeing the doubt in his eyes, she added, "It's not too different from riding a horse. You should do fine."

Seeing as Midna had confidence in him, Link smiled. "Alright." Link approached Macha, a hand stretched out in front of him

"Hello Macha." Macha leaned closer to his hand. The fact that a mask hid her eyes caused some discomfort to Link. With Epona, he could always see the horse's emotions so plainly in her warm, brown eyes. However, with Macha, it was different. It was impossible to read the creature though Link supposed he could learn. Midna and Veiviser seemed to have no problems with reading the body language of the creatures.

Macha brushed against Link's hand. Despite the fact that he was not a Twili, she could sense an underlying courage and strength. She was curious as to what another creature, one coming from the Light Realm, would be like. Macha decided that if this boy was really as brave as she thought he was then they would get along quite nicely.

Link, after noting that the Messenger made no attempts to rip his arm out of its socket, was starting to relax. Yes, Macha was a Twilight Messenger, but she was nothing like the Messengers Zant had created. In fact, she wasn't related at all since she had never been an innocent Twili molded into a different form. And by the way her feet shifted on the ground in anticipation for the journey, Link could see that she was eager for adventure.

"I think we'll have a good time together." Link murmured to Macha. The Messenger nodded her head eagerly.

Midna was smiling at Link. It looked like she had made a good choice in choosing Macha as Link's Messenger. A frown split her face as she realized that the two would have to part soon. A Messenger often bonded with the rider and vice versa, a bond that held the two tightly together. It would be a shame to see Macha become disheartened from his departure. And it wasn't just Macha that would be upset…

"Let's go, let's go!" Veiviser shouted. He was seated on top of Eclipse already who seemed to be just as excited to get going. "We don't have all day."

Midna nodded her head, glad to have someone distract her from thoughts of the future. "Come on, Sleipnir." With a practiced ease, the princess mounted the Messenger. Link followed suit, finding that he could mount the Messenger just as easily as he could mount a horse.

Veiviser nudged Eclipse's side, muttering, "Off to Lunaris!"

Immediately Eclipse took off at a breakneck speed. He loped with long strides, occasionally bounding to create more speed. Sleipnir followed after Eclipse, letting the other Messenger lead as he knew where to go. Midna and Veiviser both clung easily to their Messengers.

Link, on the other hand, nearly fell off at the sudden jolt. The only thing that held him steady was his quick impulse to grab at Macha's mane. His legs nearly left the Messenger's side, but he thankfully managed to grip them just in the nick of time. He was unaccustomed to such a sudden start. Usually it would take a while for Epona to speed up to top speed, but these Messengers seemed to start fast right away.

After he had gotten himself under control, Link realized that it was actually quite fun. The wind whipped at his face. His hair was being blown back and his cap nearly fell off quite a number of times. He ended up removing the cap during the journey and stashing it in a pack. The three Messengers ran quickly as they cleared out of the Castle and crossed the field separating the Castle from the forest.

The tall grass, shady in color, rippled softly as they passed. Patches of it were flattened where the Messengers' had squashed the grass down. They soon entered the forest. At first, they were able to maintain a fast speed as the trees were sparsely spaced and the undergrowth only reached up to a little below the knees. They continued like this for quite a while before they were forced to slow.

The black tree-trunks had gotten close together and the undergrowth was higher now. However, they kept up a steady rate, only a bit slower than their previous one. Link couldn't help but marvel at the skill with which the Messengers ran through the forest. They would slip between trees, bound to avoid particularly nasty patches of undergrowth, and communicate with each other to let the others know where they were.

Hours passed before the trio finally came to a halt in a clearing. The Messengers were tired out though it was nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't repair. Link was tired as well. He hadn't realized that riding the Messenger the entire day would be so exhausting. Even after he had gotten used to holding on, it had proved to drain a lot more energy than expected. And of course, the disease wasn't helping. Veiviser hadn't wanted to stop, but even he realized that everyone needed a rest, himself included.

"I'll build up a fire. You two get some food out." Midna instructed. "Sleipnir, can you get me some branches before you lay down?"

Sleipnir did as Midna bade and there was soon a cheerful fire going. Link and Veiviser had pulled some dried meat out from their packs and were now impaling the chunks with sticks. This made for three lovely kebabs, which they all began to roast.

The Messengers could easily hunt for themselves and they did just that. Together, the three clambered up separate trees and waited. Eventually a Kangaroc flew by and Eclipse lunged at the flying beast. The Kangaroc screeched and wheeled around to avoid getting hit. This proved to be a mistake as it only brought the Kangaroc to its doom at the hands of Macha. Sleipnir easily finished the beast off once it fell to the ground. The three Messengers surrounded their prey and began stripping the meat off the bones.

Link watched them for a while before turning to Midna and Veiviser, "I never knew Messengers could be so intelligent."

"They are remarkable when you get to know them." Midna said with a soft sigh. "A shame that Zant had to transform our people into them."

Veiviser had been half-dozing while waiting for his meat to roast to perfection, but at the mention of Zant's name, he woke up. "Zant! I've heard of him. Can you tell me the whole story? We only get rumors over in Celestria and I've always wondered what happened." Veiviser looked eagerly between the two.

"First you've got to tell us your story. We want to know what happened with your princess and why she needs to be found." Midna said firmly.

Link nodded in agreement, adding, "The more we know, the better we can understand what our mission entitles."

Veiviser sighed, his ears falling a bit. He didn't like thinking about the day their princess left. "Alright, but after you have to give me your story. Promise?"

"Promise," the two chorused.

"Well then…" Veiviser began the tale of why Princess Kamaria had fled the kingdom of Celestria.

--

_A Twili boy with messy, orange hair and huge ears hid behind the door separating the throne room from the rest of the palace. Technically, he wasn't supposed to be there. This was a secret ritual and the King would certainly have killed Vei if he had found out. Or at least thrown him in the dungeon to rot for eternity, which didn't sound any better than death. But what did Vei know? Maybe a dungeon escape would be a fun venture. Not that it mattered since Veiviser had no plans to be caught in the first place. _

_He had come, careless of the danger, because the Princess was here. They had been playing in the gardens together when a servant had come to fetch Kamaria. He had told her that it was urgent business, involving her brother and a guard. The name had meant nothing to Vei, so he had naturally forgotten it. However, it had certainly meant something to the Princess as she had quickly left without a good-bye. _

_This had struck Veiviser as odd behavior for his playmate. She always made sure to say good-bye to him. And she never looked as alarmed as she did at that moment. Concern had radiated from him, so he had followed after her. _

_Now Veiviser was looking upon a darkened throne room. The only light came from a few candles situated around the corners of the room. A throne made of dark stone was at the end of a maroon carpet. There was a table to the side of the throne. An ornate knife was placed on the table along with a bowl and bandages. _

_Sitting on the throne was the current ruler of Celestria, King Galathron. His father had died only a week ago, but Galathron had already adjusted to his position as king. He wore a golden crown and black armor with red lines running through it. There was a blood red cloak thrown over his shoulders, pinned by a broach of the Celestrian insignia. He was currently glaring at a smaller figure in front of him. _

_To Vei's shock, the slender figure was Kamaria. Her red hair came down to her shoulders in waves. It was slightly matted from where Vei had shoved her into the ground. Red eyes glared in defiance at Galathron. She was wearing the dark leather trousers and the black tunic that she had been wearing when playing outside with him. A belt made of obsidian and dotted with amethysts shined in the dark. She hadn't had time to wash up; her alabaster skin and clothing were both smeared with dirt._

_She was standing in front of another boy. The boy's eyes were on the ground and his shoulders trembled slightly as if he was on the verge of tears. He was older than her. Veiviser had never seen the mysterious Twili before._

"_Brother, stop this insanity right now!" Kamaria shouted at her elder brother. _

_Galathron regarded her with cold eyes before stating, "It's not insanity. It's simply a blood bonding ceremony that you dare to interrupt." His voice was sharp._

"_You can't blood bound people! It's evil." A snarl rose from her voice. He only laughed._

"_Oh really… Dear sister… Blood bonding has always been a part of our world. You cannot deny it. It is an act of loyalty and fealty to one's lord, not an evil ceremony." Galathron waved his hand dismissively at her, expecting the princess to just leave. _

_Kamaria pointed at the boy's crestfallen face. He had still not said anything, just continued staring at the ground. _"_Not when the guard doesn't wish to be blood bound. Do not do this!" _

"_You defend this meager boy… His uncle has given him to me. I do what I wish with the boy."_

"_You're making a big mistake."_

_Galathron paused. _"…_Have you perhaps fallen for this boy?" The smirk on his face was large._

"_What?! No! I just don't want his life to be wasted on something he doesn't want." _

_Vei had quietly sighed in relief when she denied his claim. To his knowledge, Kamaria had never spoken with this mysterious boy. _

"_Sure, sure… That's the only reason." Laughter came from the prince. Veiviser felt anger surge through him and he felt like punching the king's mocking face. _

"_Stop it! No blood bonding! Now stop it or else!" A dark orb formed in her hands._

_This only seemed to widen Galathron's smirk. _"_You really want to fight? Ha, what a joke." The magic left her hands quickly and barreled into the king's chest. He slammed into the back of the throne, his head jerking back momentarily. Vei silently cheered for his friend. _

"_You call yourself a king. What type of king are you if you blood bond those who do not want it?"Another shot of magic left her hands and hit the king. _

"_You dare fight me! Your own brother." The smirk was replaced by a frown. He didn't like this defiance, this rebel act of hers. _

"_You will not blood bound this boy. If you do, it'll be the last thing you do." Mocking laughter left Galathron's throat. _

_Galathron stood up from his throne, once again waving his hand at her. _"_I don't think I'll listen to you."_

_His back turned to her. Veiviser ducked further away, afraid that the king's eyes would spot him. Kamaria's eyes narrowed. _

"_Fine… You leave me no choice. Sorry, brother." A large blast of magic shot out of her hands and hit his turned back. Galathron fell to the ground. From where Veiviser was, he could see anger forming on the king's face. Kamaria murmured, "I'm sorry… I didn't want to kill you."_

"_You kill me?!" He laughed at the very idea before his voice took on a cold quality. "Not likely." _

_Veiviser wanted to scream out to his friend to warn her, but he was paralyzed in fear. The murderous expression on Galathron's face had turned away from Vei's direction and towards Kamaria. Magic surrounded the princess, burning her skin. Vei let out a barely audible croak. He couldn't stand this._

_Screams echoed in the throne room. It hurt Vei's ears and he hugged his arms around himself in useless comforting. No, no, no, Kamaria couldn't die. She was his best friend, but here she was getting killed by Galathron. And Vei couldn't do a thing about it. His magic was poor and he had only started learning how to use a weapon. The worst part was that even if he had had his trusty club with him, he couldn't have done anything because he was frozen in place_

_Galathron lowered his head. The magic lessened, dropping Kamaria down to her knees. The princess' body was shaking, but no tears left her eyes. Veiviser watched in awe as she lifted her head to Galathron._

_The king spoke, _"_I cannot kill you, sister dear… However, you are banished forevermore from here. Now run while you can. Run far, far away." He swept his arm for emphasis. _

_She was panting hard and Vei felt a grip on his stomach. She wouldn't do this, would she? She couldn't follow Galathron's orders. No, she would stay right here because it was the right thing to do. _

"_You cannot banish me…" A confused expression entered Galathron's face while a hopeful one spread over Veiviser's face. "I choose not to be part of this kingdom. I will live without anyone ruling over me and you will never boss me around again. I will never come back here again. Good-bye brother. I hope you burn." She snarled at the king before running out the large doors. _

"_Bye-bye sister dear." Galathron murmured softly. _

_Veiviser stared in shock at the place where Kamaria had stood. She was going away? Forever? Forever was a difficult concept for the young Twili to grasp, but he understood that he would never see the princess again. Tears entered his eyes and ran down his cheeks, leaving trails of cleanness on his dirt-marred face. _

_Veiviser turned around to run out the palace to follow his friend, but a hand seized his collar before he could run. _

"_How much did you see?" It was Galathron's voice and it scared Veiviser. The king had always been a scary figure to the boy and now wasn't any different than usual._

_Veiviser expected himself to crumble apart, but he didn't. As he was swiveled around by Galathron, Veiviser felt some of the rage bellow up from the depths of his mind. It was all Galathron's fault that Kamaria was gone! Galathron was to blame for the fact that he would never again wrestle with the girl, never again laugh with her. _

"_How could you?!" Vei screamed at the king's face. Hysteria had overtaken the sobbing boy. His body shook hard and tears were spilling out faster than ever before. Spittle flew from his mouth. "How could you banish your own sister?!" _

_Galathron didn't reply to Veiviser. He looked the trembling boy over once before stating in an indifferent voice, "You're Kamaria's friend, aren't you? The one she always hangs out with outside when she should be in here learning proper etiquette. I don't see why she would be friends with a scrawny brat like you. Then again, she was always the odd one." _

"_She's a better person than you could ever be." _

"_Oh really?" The king smirked at Veiviser. "Well, how about I show you a little something? Then you'll see how good a person I am. Maybe you'll want to do it later when you're a bit older." _

_Veiviser shook his head fiercely. "All I want to do is run after Kamaria. I don't want to watch anything that has to do with you." _

"_Well, that's too bad." _

_Galathron threw the struggling boy into the wall across the throne room. Veiviser hit it with a resounding thump and sunk down to the floor. His body shook badly and he could see something, a bone, sticking out of his arm. Blood trickled down his arm, causing sobs to escape Vei's throat. The boy brought his arm close to him. This wasn't supposed to happen. Why did this happen? _

_Galathron approached Veiviser, causing the boy to shrink into the wall. "You're going to watch this and maybe it'll teach you some discipline. And when you're old enough, you're going to go through the ceremony just like that brat over there." Galathron pointed back at the boy Kamaria had been defending. The boy had not moved an inch and now Vei could see that there was magical chains around his ankles._

_Everything was wrong. Kamaria was gone to who-knows-where. This innocent boy was going to be blood bound to the king against his will. And Veiviser was being forced to watch a gruesome ceremony no child should ever have to watch. How did things go wrong? _

--

Veiviser paused in his story. He didn't want to continue anymore. It was all too painful, too hard to bear. This was the stuff that haunted his nightmares and it just kept on getting worse. The memories of that day had brought a grim expression to the boy, an expression that Midna couldn't equate with the excitable lad she had started the journey with.

"There isn't much else to say." Veiviser muttered. "After that, I was forced to watch the blood bonding ceremony." The boy shivered. "And then I ran outside and began to search for Kamaria. I never went back to the palace…"

Midna and Link had both bowed their hands in silence. Neither of them could grasp the full terror of the blood bonding ceremony, but they could understand losing someone close. It seemed as if everywhere Galathron went he caused misfortune, even in his own palace.

"We'll help you find your princess, Vei." Midna finally said. Now that she had heard the tale of why the princess was not there, she could sympathize. She was more determined than ever to find this elusive princess.

"We won't give up until we find her." Link added with a nod.

Veiviser gave the two of them a grim grin. He had searched for weeks to find Kamaria, even months. Never had he managed to see one hair of the princess. Perhaps the two of them could find her. Midna could use magic Vei could never use and Link was the legendary hero. Yes, if anyone could find Kamaria, Vei figured that the two of them could.

"Alright." Vei nodded his head. A smile spread across his face. "I believe we can."

"I just have one question… Do you know why Princess Kamaria hasn't returned yet?" Midna asked, posing the question as gently as she could. "Certainly with Galathron out of the way, she would be able to return to the throne."

Vei shook his head sadly. "No… She swore she would never return." A sorrowful silence fell over the trio.

Link broke it, "Well, maybe she hasn't heard the news yet. And if has, then maybe she just needs some persuasion. Now let's get to sleep, so we can travel in the morning…" Link paused, glancing up at the unchanging sky. "Uh…" Despite having been here for quite a while, the time in the Twilight Realm would always confuse Link.

"So we can travel sooner, rather than waste time sitting around and end up waking up later." Midna said. They agreed and stretched out to sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day of journeying.

---

**A/N: I liked this chapter or at least the flashback. Does anyone recognize some of the dialogue from the flashback? It's been a long time, but it's one of the scenes from the prologue. Next chapter you can expect more travel and a continuation of Vei's story. Please drop a review and I'll hand you your very own Twilight Messenger!**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	5. Blood Stains

**Author's Notes: Like the previous chapter, the italics symbolize a flashback. Originally I was planning to finish this chapter a lot earlier than I did. However, my little nephew did not give me luxury time. So much Mario Kart Wii xD **

**For those interested, I drew a picture of Vei. I posted it on my deviantart, which is accessible from my profile. Just remove the spaces in this link: http:// dragonelf213. deviantart. com/art/Veiviser-Unofficial-Messenger-128823478**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"_You can strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along."_

_~Eleanor Roosevelt _

_**Chapter 4: Blood Stains **_

_Veiviser struggled against the magical bonds that had appeared around his wrists and ankles. He was bound to the cold, stone wall of the throne room, right above the throne itself. They were biting into his skin, irritating it. The pain was bringing tears to his eyes. _

_No! This couldn't be happening! He didn't want to watch this. He wanted to be back home, curled up by the fire with his mother telling him stories. Or maybe outside throwing mud at the back of the princess' head. Anywhere but this horrid throne room. _

_Galathron looked back at Veiviser with a sadistic smile. "Enjoy the show while it lasts, boy." A silence had fallen over Vei as he realized that crying wasn't doing anything. The king didn't care if he caused misery. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it. What type of king enjoys the pain of his subjects? _

_Calmly, the king walked over to the table. He picked up a sharp ceremonial knife. The blade was silver in color. The knife was adorned with the crest of Celestria and had a few words written in ancient Hylian on the blade. The letters were runic and Vei stared at them. He couldn't read what they said. _

_Galathron caught Veiviser's stare and stated, "It says 'blood is the only way.'" He laughed at the disgusted look that Vei gave the blade. _

_Will that be my future, Vei asked himself. Would he be doomed to be cut and then blood bound to Galathron? Or perhaps it would be Galathron's son if the Twili king could ever find someone to be his queen? Veiviser laughed quietly at the thought. The woman would have to be crazy to ever think about marrying this scum. Or perhaps Galathron would threaten her. That certainly seemed his style. _

_Galathron snapped his fingers. The imprisoned guard stepped closer, still staring at the floor in resignation. Now that he came closer into the candlelight, Veiviser could see scars on the boy's chest. They appeared to have been caused by a whip. So Galathron had beaten the boy into submission. No wonder his spirit was so downcast. _

"_Now, observe closely." Galathron instructed to Veiviser. After picking up the obsidian bowl as well as the knife, he turned towards the guard boy. "Kneel before me." _

_The boy opened his mouth as if he was about to complain. Galathron scowled at him with so fierce an expression that he could only fall to his knees in defeat. His head was also bowed, so that his red hair now hid his eyes. _

_Vei waited in terror as Galathron approached the boy. There was something fascinating about the ceremony that kept Veiviser from closing his eyes despite the terror that gripped his heart. Yes, he should close his eyes and try his best to muffle the sounds of pain that would soon come. But, morbid curiosity held his eyes wide open. _

"_Lift your hands to me," Galathron instructed as he placed the bowl between the boy and himself. _

_The boy did as he was told. His fingers were small, but they stood still, belaying a courage that hadn't quite died out. Galathron lifted the knife up and began making minute slits in each finger. Beads of crimson blood began falling. They dotted the bottom of the bowl like little splatters of paint on canvas. _

_The boy's jaw was gritted to keep back the screams of pain. Veiviser watched in awe. If it had been him in the boy's place, Vei could bet that he would be sobbing his head off and begging for the ceremony to stop. But this older boy was standing there, quietly accepting his fate._

_Next Galathron pressed the blade against his own fingers, drawing beads of blood from them. In the bowl, the blood drops slowly began splattering over each other and mixing. Galathron did not scream or even show any signs of feeling intense pain. Instead he watched with a sort of glee as the blood mixed._

_The knife cut into the palm of Galathron's hand. He made a deeper cut, not too deep that it would pierce a vital artery, but deep enough for blood to start dripping down in vaster quantities. He made another similar cut on his other hand and then proceeded to give the boy identical cuts. _

_Sweat was dripping off the boy's face now. A thin line of blood was dripping from his lip where he had bitten down on it. Galathron showed no signs of the pain even affecting him and Veiviser finally realized that the king would not feel any pain throughout this ritual. Whether it had been a spell or herbs, Galathron had done something to prevent himself from feeling the same pain as the boy. The unjustness of this made Vei want to cry out, but fear held his mouth shut. _

_Galathron pressed his hands against the boy's. Yellow eyes full of pain, sorrow, and hatred met orange eyes full of sadistic enjoyment. Galathron opened his mouth and began murmuring in a language that Veiviser didn't recognize,_

"_Ylaef semoc doolb htiw_

_Dnob a semoc doolb htiw_

_Sgnik rieht ot sdraug eht peek lliw taht _

_Trap yeht od htaed litt _

_Ecifircas etamitlu eht." _

_A crimson glow surrounded the clasped hands. It was bright, causing Vei's eyes to sting but he couldn't tear himself away from the spectacle. The boy had opened his mouth, screaming a long note in agony. However, Veiviser couldn't hear the scream as a screeching had filled the throne room. The screeching was coming from the magic itself. It chilled the nerves and made Veiviser want to crawl away into a hole._

_Finally the screeching stopped and the light of the magic instantly flickered out. The guard boy dropped his head, panting. Galathron was grinning maniacally as he took his hands away from the boy's. _

_Carefully, Galathron dipped the end of his knife into the pool of blood that had formed in the bowl. He set the knife against the boy's chest and began to carve a mark into the boy's flesh. The boy clamped his jaw down, a muffled scream escaping him. _

_Veiviser wasn't sure how long it took for Galathron to carve the intricate symbol into the boy's chest. All he knew was that the knife made a sickening sound as it traveled through the boy's flesh and that the boy didn't so much as move an inch throughout the entire carving. Occasionally Galathron would dip the knife into the bowl of blood to get more blood on the blade. Finally Galathron finished carving the symbol. _

_The symbol wasn't hard to make out despite the trails of blood that marred it. It was a crescent moon similar to the one on the Celestrian emblem. Two blades went through the moon in an X-pattern. _

_Galathron smiled, apparently pleased with his handiwork. To Veiviser's surprise, the king dragged the knife across his own arm. The symbol glowed crimson and then a similar cut appeared on the arm of the boy. Veiviser gasped. He had never actually seen the effects of the blood bond, just heard about them. It was startling to see it happen in front of his own eyes especially since the boy's face held none of the pleasure that the tales talked about. The stories had always glorified the ceremony, but Vei was beginning to see it as something cruel. _

_Galathron nodded his head and turned to Vei, "The ceremony was a success as you can tell." He gestured towards the blood trailing down the boy's arm and then at his own arm. "This is the marking of a true guard, one that I can always rely on. He can never betray me, for if I die, he dies as well. Now, how would you like to join my circle of trusted guards?" _

_Vei shook his head, a look of desperation coming into his eyes. No, he couldn't be blood bond, no! Galathron laughed at Vei's reaction before shaking his head,_

"_You're too young. Maybe in a few years you'll be ready to join your king's side. Until then, I expect you to go straight home and not utter a single word of this to anyone." Galathron flicked his wrist towards Veiviser, sending droplets of blood splattering, before walking to the table. _

_The magic holding Vei dissipated. Veiviser dropped to his knees, scraping them. He didn't notice the scrapes or the burns that had appeared from the magical bonds. All he could think about was the terror of the blood bonding ceremony. It had always been an accepted part of life here, but to see it happen to an unwilling boy… The thought made Vei shiver. _

_Slowly Veiviser stood up, staring at his king and then at the boy. The boy was staring at the ground in despair. He lifted a hand and carefully wiped the blood away from his face, leaving streaks of red across his white and black face. To Vei and the boy's surprise, a small glow emanated from the boy's fingertips. When the glow disappeared, his lip was healed. The boy wiped at it with the back of his hand again. No new blood appeared. A thin smile appeared on his face before disappearing as Galathron turned away from the table._

"_The healer will look you over shortly. After all, we don't want you to die just after your ceremony of fealty, do we?" The boy was silent to Galathron's question. The king smirked._

_Galathron wove a hand at the door, opening it with magic. The healer, who had apparently been waiting on the other side, came in and led the boy away by the arm. The boy tottered after the old healer, blood leaving a small trail behind him. _

_The king turned to survey Veiviser. Vei raised one shaking hand to wipe away at the salt trails that were left behind by his tears. He didn't want to seem like a weakling. Then again, maybe being weak would take him off the list for blood bonding. Maybe. Or not. _

_A hungry expression had entered Galathron's eyes. The king's eyes glowed with dark magic as he sent biting wisps of magic at Veiviser. Vei yelped and raised his hands to cover his face. This did little to protect him as the magic began tearing away at his skin. Small crisscrossing cuts began to appear on his body. Vei screamed in terror._

"_Feel the pain and learn. Learn that you can never escape the pain and the best thing is to join with your king. Share your blood, so you can share my pain." Galathron laughed sadistically, causing Vei to raise his arms in cowardice. _

"_Don't. I don't want to be blood bound, I don't want to be. Kamaria was right. You can't blood bond the unwilling." Vei's voice was shaky. All he wanted to do was run away and find Kamaria. Maybe she could hide in his house or the two of them could go on a big adventure to another section of the Twilight Realm. _

_Veiviser's body began to glow as Galathron's magic surrounded it. His back arched, a silent scream ripping from his throat. Vei watched in horror as Galathron stomped close to him. The menacing knife, still bloody from the last ceremony, was held in his hand and a sadistic smile was painted on to the king's face. Vei tried inching away from the blade, but the magic held him steady. A whimper came from the boy. _

_Without his consent, his hands lifted and the knife bit into Vei's fingers. Blood, his own blood, welled up and began to drip down. No! This wasn't right! Galathron's hands found his and after a few murmured words, a crimson glow appeared. His vision went blank, all except for a toothy smile. Galathron's smile. Screams welled up in Vei's throat. _

_For some reason, time seemed impossibly slow though the ritual only took a few minutes. The glow began to dissipate. Veiviser felt relief as the agony began leaving as well. However, then the knife descended on to his chest and began carving the symbol. It was slow work. Unlike the boy who had kept his silence, Veiviser screamed. _

_This was wrong! So, so wrong. Why couldn't time go backwards so that he could avoid this whole catastrophe? Why? More screams. _

--

Midna woke to screaming. Her hand instantly began glowing with Twili magic, her head searching for the intrusion. All she could see was Link fumbling with his sword and Veiviser's sleeping form.

The boy was screaming terribly. Sweat coated his shivering body. Midna sighed, letting the magic die down in her hands. She had thought there was an intruder, but it was just a nightmare. Tight-lipped, the Twilight Princess looked at the shaking boy. Last night's story must've shaken up bad memories for the boy.

Link had moved over to Veiviser's side. He nudged the boy and muttered, "Vei, Vei! Wake up. There's nothing here that can hurt you." He punched at the boy's arm.

Veiviser shot up, screaming, "Back away!" His eyes were wide-open and wild pants fore from his throat. He carefully took in the peaceful campsite. Three Twilight Messengers watched him with a mixture of concern and annoyance. Link and Midna had the same look. Everything was okay.

"Had a nightmare?" Link asked sympathetically.

Vei nodded, "Something like that."

For the most part, his nightmare had been real. He had been forced to watch that poor boy go through the ritual and that had badly scared Veiviser. Vei had requested to sleep with his parents that night and they had allowed it. Veiviser had left before morning, leaving two confused parents behind. Of course, the later part of the nightmare was a conjuration of the mind. Veiviser had not been blood-bound. Galathron had planned it, but not until Vei reached 16, the typical age for blood bonding. Younger boys were only put through the ritual if they wished it or if they were orphans, which Vei supposed the boy had been.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Link asked gently.

"No." Veiviser shook his head. He looked down at his hands and wiped at his brow. Sweat dripped off in rivulets.

"Maybe we should start traveling." Midna offered. The fresh air would lighten the boy's mood and chase away the phantoms of the night. It had always helped Midna when she was younger. Riding Sleipnir was a haven in itself.

Veiviser nodded his head in agreement, a weak smile appearing on his face. "Seems like a good plan to me." He glanced over at Link who nodded as well.

All three Messengers were excited to be off again. The group quickly packed up their belongings before mounting the Messengers. Once again, Eclipse took the lead as the only Messenger knowing the way to Celestria. Macha and Sleipnir stayed a few paces behind Eclipse. The Messengers barked their enthusiasm as they weaved between the tree trunks. Travel was quick as the undergrowth had not reached hazardous levels yet.

Veiviser was still shaking when the journey stared. However, the cool air buffeting his face soon brought a grin to the boy's face. The nightmares seemed like insignificant wraiths while he was perched on Eclipse. Laughter bubbled up from Vei's throat.

Midna was enjoying the ride just as much as Veiviser though she couldn't help casting concerned glances in Link and Vei's directions once in a while. It had been a relief that Link hadn't fainted again, but that didn't mean he wouldn't. The possibility of Link slipping off Macha chilled her. Fortunately, Midna was sure that Macha would not allow that to happen to her master. As for Veiviser, Midna was relieved to see that he was recovering from the night's fright.

Hours ticked by. The undergrowth had thickened, but not enough to hamper the speedy progress of the Messengers. Midna knew it was only a matter of time before the undergrowth began to impede their progress. The trees were starting to grow closer together, but the Messengers were excellent at running between them. Orange light flickered down between the thick canopy, providing patches of light and shadow. Everything was peaceful.

Link's arms were growing tired from clutching on to Macha's mane. He didn't want to call the group to stop since it Midna and Veiviser both appeared to be at full energy. The Hylian boy lifted one hand to rub furiously at his eyes. He had to stay awake. They had to keep going, but it was so hard. His body was fatigued and it didn't help that the Twilight Realm was always dark. Macha, sensing the weakness, slowed a bit.

Midna glanced over at Link upon noticing that Macha was no longer side-by-side with Sleipnir. Link's face was pale and his eyelids were drooping heavily. Midna felt that fear that had existed ever since Valtina's announcement clutch at her. There was only one thing to do.

"Let's stop at the stream over there." Midna pointed in the direction where she could hear the babbling of water sliding over rocks.

Vei slowed Eclipse, a pout instantly forming on his face. "Why?" He whined, "We haven't been going that long. Did you know we can reach Celestria a lot faster if we travel for longer periods of time? It'll take less than a week if we keep at this speed."

Midna sighed. Veiviser was young. He lacked the understanding that rest was necessary especially when someone happened to be ill. All Vei could think about was charging forwards, to speed through life. She knew the boy was concerned about his kingdom and finding Kamaria was his top priority. After hearing him speak about her last night, she knew that the boy would risk the well-being of himself and others to see her upon her rightful throne.

"The Messengers need a break and it would be nice to stretch our legs." Midna said quickly. She didn't want to embarrass Link by saying that the Hylian needed a break. Link could be just as stubborn about continuing on.

Veiviser glanced down at Eclipse before nodding his head. He pulled at the Messenger's mane to direct the Messenger towards the stream. The location was a lovely spot for resting travelers. There was a dark stream chattering over stones and a small clearing to rest in. A berry bush sheltered the clearing on one side while a thick stand of trees stood on the other sides.

They dismounted, Link shooting a grateful look at Midna as they did so. Midna watched Link carefully as he slid to the ground. He stumbled before righting himself and plopping down on the ground. Midna offered to gather some wood for a fire, allowing Link the time to rest while Veiviser busied himself with stuffing as many berries as possible into his mouth.

When Midna returned, she sat down by Link. Veiviser was still busy gorging on berries, allowing the two some time to talk.

"Link, are you feeling okay?" Midna asked as she dumped the wood down into a pile.

Link nodded his head, noticed that Midna wore a disbelieving expression on her face, and sighed, "Okay, fine. I'm not completely okay. I'm a bit tired. It's nothing too bad. I guess the stay at your palace has made me a bit lazy." Link laughed weakly.

Midna's eyes narrowed. She could understand why Link stubbornly refused to say how tired he really was. She was the same. She had always hated to make people worry by telling them about how she felt. It had led to some bad cases including once when she had disclosed the secret of having a minor cold. That cold had worsened and Midna had been confined to her bed for weeks. Valtina had been displeased with her and it had certainly taught Midna an important lesson.

"Link. You don't have to be afraid of making me fuss over you." Midna said sharply. "If you don't tell me exactly how you feel right now, I'll make you wish you were dead."

"Fine, fine," Link muttered, knowing that Midna was being serious. "I'm tired and all I feel like doing is passing out. That honest enough for you?"

Midna nodded her head and quietly murmured, "Don't pass out." She didn't like to admit it aloud, but she had been scared when Link had first passed out. If he was to do it again, that same fear would engulf her.

"I'll try not to."

"You better." Midna reached out a hand and pulled Link's pack over to her. She rifled through the contents for a few moments before pulling out a pouch. "Seeing as Val's not here to force you to take your medicine, I will."

Link opened his mouth to protest, but Midna cut him off. "I think this should work properly. Val told me it's used to make unwilling patients go to sleep." She looked Link over before nodding her head, "You're definitely unwilling."

"But Midna, what if I sleep for a very long time? We might lose hours. Anyway, Vei's not expecting us to stop for too long. I only need a short break and then I'll be ready to go. Sleeping for hours will waste time and you know how upset Vei would be." Midna rolled her eyes at Link's complaints.

"That's a shame." She said sarcastically. "I'm not going to make you eat too much. Now chew it up well, or I'll stuff it down your throat."

Midna handed the feathery, black frond over to Link. Link looked at it for a few seconds before stuffing it into his mouth. His face contorted into an expression of disgust as he began chewing the bitter herb. Midna watched him with amusement, giggling softly at his narrowed eyes.

"That was disgusting." Link said plainly.

Midna leaned close to Link. Softly she whispered in his ear, "Stop being such a baby. You needed it." She pecked Link on the lips before pulling away from him. "The effects should start in a few minutes."

Meanwhile, Veiviser had trotted over and sat down across from them. The boy had dark purple juice smeared on his smiling face. Clearly he had forgotten his previous despair over the delay. He licked at his lips before speaking,

"Do you want another story before you drift into dreamland?"

Link nodded groggily. He was already feeling the soothing effects of the herb. It wouldn't be long before he was sleeping peacefully. The story would likely not be remembered, but Midna could always recount it for him later.

"Alright, here we go." Veiviser began another story of what had happened after the blood bonding ceremony had conspired.

--

_The magical bonds disappeared from Veiviser as the boy was escorted out of the throne room. The boy fell shaking to the floor. His knees were raw and salt blemished his cheeks. Footsteps made Vei pause. _

"_Are you scared?" Galathron's silky voice rang in his ears. "You shouldn't be. This is the highest act of loyalty a guard can commit. Perhaps you shall participate in the ceremony when you are older. Everyone will respect you for it. Then again, I'm not sure how a sniveling coward like you can enter the elite ranks of the blood bound. Even that foolish boy had more backbone than you." Veiviser didn't respond. He was paralyzed by fear. _

"_Oh, being silent now, are you? What happened to that fighting spirit from earlier? Did I squash it out of you? It's probably for the better. Being rebellious gets you nowhere in life. Just look at my dear sister." Vei's shoulders began shaking. _

"_She was such a fool, arguing against the ceremony. She always had challenged all our core beliefs. Can you believe that she actually said that we shouldn't waste our time on researching ways to enter the Light Realm? She doesn't believe we need to take revenge for the horrible deeds those light dwellers commited! She was an idiot, a shameless rebel who cared for nobody but herself." _

_Vei could stand being ridiculed, but this was enough. He lifted his face from the floor and stared with flashing eyes at Galathron. "Don't talk about her like that! She had more heart than you ever could! She was right."_

_Galathron chuckled in amusement. "I see… Well, why don't you pursue her? I am sure she would love to know that someone agrees with her backward ideas." _

"_I will." Veiviser rose shakily though now the shaking came from pure rage. "I'll bring her back and then you'll be the trembling one. The people will always agree with her because she'll look after them, not like you greedy bastard." _

"_My, my, what a tongue." Galathron shook his head. He was clearly unimpressed with Veiviser's words. The king had no worries. His sister always kept her word and she had sworn not to return to Celestria. "I'm sure the princess would love to return." He added sarcastically. _

_Veiviser ignored the sarcasm. "I know I can get her to come back." _

"_Well then you better run fast." Galathron wrapped some magic around Vei's ankle and flung the boy into the double doors at the end of the hall. "There's a head-start for you." He laughed loudly. _

_Veiviser picked himself up and charged out of the throne room. He was afraid that Galathron would change his mind and imprison Vei. Being stuck in the dungeon had lost the glamour that it had held in the morning. Perhaps that was because he had lost some innocence after watching the events. Perhaps it was because his best playmate was now banished and wouldn't be there to witness his jail break._

"_I'll find Kamaria," Veiviser muttered, still running._

_He had one location in mind. She had always gone there to be alone, to meditate on her problems. One day, Kamaria had dragged Vei along to show him the spot. He had found it peaceful, but rather dull. Vei had not returned to that spot, but he was certain that the Princess would have gone there to think. _

_Finally Veiviser reached the spot. It was out of the city's walls and Vei could still remember how he had marveled that the Princess had managed to sneak out of Lunaris. The trees grew clustered together everywhere except for a very small glade by the water's edge. A Twili could easily pass by this spot without noticing it. Here, the grass sprung high, tickling the feet of all who came across it. The closest tree to the creek had low branches. _

_Vei had been expecting to see Kamaria sitting against the tree, but he found nobody. Hope didn't desert him as there was one other spot Kamaria could be. When she wanted complete serenity, she had always climbed to a secret cavern within the tree. _

_It was this low-limbed tree that Veiviser approached. He easily pulled himself up until he reached a hole in the tree. It had probably once been the home of a Kangaroc, but it was now deserted. _

"_Kamy, are you here?" Vei called, using the secret nickname he had invented for her. _

_He always avoided using it in the ear-shot of others, lest they think that he was either disrespecting the Princess or some other equally stupid thing. Perhaps if he had been older, he would have feared that they suspect that the two were lovers upon hearing such an affectionate nickname. That was certainly not the case. _

'_Kamy' did not answer because she was not there. The tree hollow was empty, devoid of any life except for a pair of wood beetles huddling in the corner. Veiviser searched the hollow with his eyes. He spotted a piece of folded parchment in the center. The boy reached for it and pulled it out. There was a message in Kamaria's handwriting on the paper amid some tearstains._

Vei,

I'm sorry to be leaving without a good-bye. I got into an argument with Galathron and he banished me. You know how he is… I can't stay in Celestria anymore and I don't want to. The only thing I'll miss is our friendship (sorry for not finishing our wrestling match) and the people in the city. Don't look for me because you'll never find me. I'm never coming back and I don't want you wasting time looking for me.

Good-bye Vei and thanks for being such a good friend,

Kamy

_Veiviser's eyes stung as he held the parchment close. She really was gone and she didn't want to be found. Vei crawled inside the hollow, scaring off the wood beetles. Burying his head into his knees, the boy began to cry. _

_Eventually his sobs subsided and he sat there in his slumped position. The fact that his parents would expect him home for dinner did not occur to Vei. All he could think about was the fact that he had lost his best friend. It was all Galathron's fault that they would never play together. _

_No, it wasn't only Galathron's fault. Yes Galathron was the reason Kamaria was gone forever, but it would be Vei's own fault that they never play together. The least he could do would be to search for Kamaria in some desperate hope that the two of them could run off together. Exile would be much more attractive if a friend came along. Veiviser would miss his parents, but it was definitely worth it. _

_With that resolution in mind, Veiviser clambered down the tree and ran home. He wanted to hug his parents one last time and pack some belongings with him before he traveled off to find Kamaria. The fact that finding one Twili would be nearly impossible did not occur to him. He would search every village for his friend. After all, she couldn't have gone too far with no food or other necessities._

--

Veiviser paused in his storytelling. The boy had lowered his head, so his bangs obscured his eyes. Midna could see the boy's shoulders shaking a bit at the memories. She glanced over at Link. At one point in the tale, Link had fallen over. He was now sleeping peacefully, his chest rising up and down in a steady tempo.

"I think that's enough for tonight." Midna said kindly to Veiviser. The constant storytelling of his past was clearly having a negative impact on Vei. She just hoped he wouldn't have another nightmare. "Get some rest."

His voice was quiet as he answered, "Okay." Vei lay down, turning his back to the fire. Sniffles came from the boy.

A small frown twisted on to Midna's face. She hated seeing anyone with spirits this low. "Vei?" He grunted an acknowledgement. "We'll find her."

"I know we will." Veiviser sighed. The sniffling abated and Midna felt some happiness that the boy was no longer crying to himself.

She looked over at Link and ran a hand through his blonde hair. "I just hope we find her before you die." She murmured softly. Finding Kamaria and convincing her to return would be a hard job, but it would be well worth the effort. If they failed, a kingdom would fall into chaos without a ruler and Link would be unable to return home if the amulet turned out to be the only way.

---

**A/N: Whew! My longest chapter… I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and tell me what you think. Remember; every time you don't review, a baby Twilight Messenger dies. **

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	6. Get Over It

**Author's Notes: Since I've got almost nothing left to do this summer (other than a short trip and some summer assignments for school), I should have plenty of time to write this fanfic and do everything else my heart desires. My goal is to finish this before summer ends, but I'm not certain that the goal will be reached. Seeing as I never outline my stories (except in my head and even then the story is likely to change a bit), I can't say how many chapters this fanfic will have. If I don't finish it before summer and school starts, then expect my updates to be a lot slower. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"_Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell." _

~_Edna St Vincent Millay_

_**Chapter 5: Get Over It**_

After Link woke up, the trio resumed their journey. Link seemed to have recovered well, but Midna could still see the tell-tale signals of lasting fatigue in the corners of his eyes. The faster they traveled, the more worn-out Link got, but the closer they came to Lunaris, capital of Celestria. Once there, they could commence a search for Kamaria and information.

Days passed. Link did not faint, but they did make frequent stops when Midna sensed that Link was becoming tired. Veiviser had not taken up his story again and while he put together a cheerful façade, Midna could see ghosts of the past haunting the boy's face. She did not press him for the story. He would tell on his own time.

The Messengers seemed to be the only ones in a cheerful mood. They got enough rest and they enjoyed loping through the forest at high speeds. Even the thickening undergrowth that was beginning to slow the Messengers did nothing to dampen their moods. The only times Midna caught any of them looking sad was when Macha was looking at Link. Macha was deeply concerned about her new master. She sensed that the reason he tired so easily was because he did not belong in this world, a thought that saddened her greatly.

It was their sixth day of travel. The trees had full canopies, so there was little light. Most of the light came from the flickering runes on the trees. Vines hung from the trees and the trio was forced to keep their eyes open for these. Already, Link and Midna had had to chop Veiviser free when the boy had gotten tangled in some. The undergrowth was knee-deep and there were patches of thorns hidden in with the regular brush. These thorns could not pierce the leathery skin of the Messengers, but they did scratch at the riders' skin and snag at their clothing. Vei's cloak and Midna's skirt had already ripped a few times.

Nonetheless, Veiviser was wearing a large grin. He called back, "We're almost at Lunaris!"

Midna mumbled pessimistically, "How can you tell? There's nothing but trees everywhere."

"You're forgetting that my large ears pick up sounds well." Vei answered, having heard Midna's mutters. "I can just sense it. There's something different about Celestrian air." He breathed in a sigh. "Anyway, it's been six days! We should be there soon!" Midna accepted the answer, hiding away any doubts about it.

Link had not spoken throughout the exchange. He was relieved as well as nervous about their arrival. The journey had sapped his strength and it would be nice to not have to wake up to constant travel. However, he couldn't push away the thought that the Celestrian Twili would not welcome him. From the stories, it sounded as if they despised all light dwellers. However, Veiviser had greeted him in a friendly manner. Maybe there were others like him.

Suddenly Link felt a dizzying sensation. His head had been throbbing for the last hour, but he had not bothered complaining about the minor headache. Now the throbbing had increased in tempo and it left him with a nauseous feeling. Link's skin was quickly paling. He did not feel well. _This feels just like-_ Link's thought was left unfinished.

A crash in the undergrowth brought Midna's attention to her right side. "Link!" She cried, wheeling Sleipnir around.

Macha had stopped running as soon as she had felt the weight on her back lessen. The Messenger howled to Eclipse who stopped as well. Midna leaped off Sleipnir and ran to crouch by Link. Veiviser was at her heels.

Link's skin was clammy and pale. His skin was ice-cold to the touch. The only reassurance that Midna had was that Link's pulse was steady and his chest was still rising and falling.

"Vei, go find a spot to set camp." Veiviser hurried off to do Midna's bidding.

While Vei went to find a campsite, Midna carefully lifted Link up. He was heavy, so she was forced to use her magic to help lift the boy up on to Macha's back. Macha's mane curled around Link to hold him steady. Midna held Link's hand. She didn't like the feeling of icy skin, but she felt like she needed to offer some sort of comfort to the boy. Even if he was unaware of the gesture, perhaps he a part of him would sense it.

"Found one!" Veiviser's voice came from behind some trees.

The slow progression of Macha with Link on top, Midna, and Sleipnir went off towards Veiviser's chosen location. The clearing was around a small pond. A creek flowed into it. The pond's surface was covered in algae, but the water of the creek was clean. The absence of trees provided a spectacular view of the sky. Veiviser was busy shoving aside some thorny mats to provide enough room to lie down on.

Midna lifted Link down to the ground. She brushed aside his hair. There were assorted minor scratches on his face where thorns had snagged at it. Midna decided that it must have happened when he fell. His green tunic had been able to protect his body from injury and for that Midna was grateful.

Veiviser was milling around. Now that he was done with his labor, he did not know what to do. Midna provided him with instructions, "Vei, get some clean water. And bring me the medicinal bag from Link's pack." The boy rushed off to fulfill the instructions.

Veiviser filled an empty canteen with water and wordlessly handed it over to Midna. He then handed over the medicinal bag before running off to gather some wood for a fire. They would probably be here for quite some time, meaning that a comfort such as a fire would be useful.

Midna wiped away the blood from Link's face, using a damp handkerchief to dab at the wounds. She wringed out the handkerchief, making sure all the blood was gone. An ointment that Val had given her was put to use on the wounds. After that, she spent some time picking the thorns out of Link's clothing. Finally Midna had done all she could.

Now she only had to wait for Link to awaken. This was perhaps the worst part of treating someone unconscious. Waiting could drag on for hours, hours full of nothing to do but wonder. What if he didn't wake up? What if he had fallen into a coma? What if he was in agonizing pain and she was sitting around, utterly useless and unaware? The uncertain what ifs were definitely the worst part of healing anybody.

"I bring fire." Veiviser said with a weak smile. He had brought an armful of wood with him and had quietly constructed a fire. Midna had not noticed, so deep was she in thought about Link.

Midna nodded her head in acknowledgement at the fire before murmuring to Link, "You better wake up. You haven't outgrown your usefulness to me."

Veiviser averted his eyes to the ground. The Messengers had gone off to find food and he felt awkward. While he had gotten to know Midna and Link well over the journey, he knew that he lacked any special bonds to either of them. This was fine with Vei most times, but at the moment it made him feel like an intruder, a third wheel.

Midna was his friend and it pained him to watch her suffer silently with an unconscious Link. But what could Veiviser do? The Twili nibbled at his lip in thought. Perhaps there was some way he could distract her. That would have the dual benefit of eliminating the uncomfortable silence and at taking their minds off Link. He thought over conversational starters before settling on the only one that seemed fit.

Taking a breath for courage (what if Midna got angry at him for interrupting her thoughts about Link?), he spoke, "Midna…" He waited for the Twilight Princess to turn her full attention to him before continuing on, "I know that you want to watch after Link, but staring at him like that won't help. It'll make time go slower."

"So what do you propose we do?" Midna asked. It was a miracle that she didn't snarl at the boy. In fact, she was grateful that he had interrupted the grim thoughts hovering in her mind.

"Story-time." Veiviser cracked a weak grin. When had story-time turn from a childish enjoyment into something so grim and forbidding? "I'll tell the story and you can listen."

Midna regarded Veiviser with surprise before nodding her head in agreement, "If you wish to speak, I'll listen."

Not needing anymore prodding, Veiviser began.

--

_When Veiviser arrived at his home, he ate a good dinner after a light spanking from his father for being late. Then he was sent off to bed. With his plan for escape in mind, Veiviser treated both his parents with tight hugs. They looked upon him with surprise, but did not question it. _

_Vei trotted off to bed. As soon as the candle was extinguished, the room fell into shadow. Usually, Veiviser found safety in the darkness but now a feeling of dread seized him. What if Galathron was lurking in the shadows with a knife in hand? Or someone else who knew the blood bounding ceremony? He nestled into his blankets, but they provided no comfort. _

_Finally the images of a knife descending on to him became too much for the boy to bear. He had plans for this night, but he wasn't about to spend a few hours in lonely fear. The boy quickly slid out of bed and hurried to the half-open door of his parents. Their murmuring voices stopped him. _

_Eavesdropping was wrong, but Veiviser had not learned his lesson yet. He couldn't help but crouch down by the door and press a large ear to the opening. _

"_You don't think Veiviser's too disappointed that the princess is gone, do you? I know they always played together and he often brought her over here for snacks." His mother's voice was full of concern. _

"_Of course, he'll be sad for a few days. In fact, that might have been why he hugged us. But I'm sure he'll get over it. Kids get over things quickly." His father's voice was strong, as usual. "He'll find new friends." _

"_I hope so…" They lapsed into silence and Vei got ready to walk in before it was broken again by his mother. "Do you think he will do anything radical?" _

_His father's laughter boomed. "Are we still speaking about Vei? He's doesn't have enough courage to do anything radical. Anyway, what would he do anyway?" Veiviser felt some embarrassment at his father's words. They were true, but they hurt. _

"_I don't know. What if he decides to run off after her? Or what if he challenges the king? He won't be happy to learn that it was the king who banished the princess." _

"_Don't worry, darling. I know he won't do such a thing. Challenging the king is beyond him. As for running away, he doesn't even like camping outside for one night. Do you really think he'd risk the wilderness for who-knows-how-long just to find her?" _

_His father's words must have soothed his mother, for her voice was relieved when she spoke again, "I suppose you're right, sweetie. You don't think he'll challenge the king when he's older, do you?"_

"_Of course not. He would have forgotten by then… At least I hope he does. I know the boy isn't very brave now, but I expect him to grow up to be a courageous lad, ready to serve the king when he's older." _

_Veiviser couldn't stand it anymore. He knocked on the door, efficiently ending the conversation for the moment. _

"_Oh Veiviser, what's wrong?" His mother's worried voice surrounded him, but he couldn't help feeling some despair over it. She loved him, but it hurt to know that she didn't believe he was brave enough to follow his friend. It would certainly make escaping easier. His parents would never think him craven after tonight. _

"_Mommy, Daddy…" Vei took a breath. He brought up the images of Galathron's sadistic smile and then the knife descending upon the guard boy's chest. He gulped before continuing, "Can I sleep with you tonight?" _

"_Oh sweetie, of course you can." His mom patted the spot in-between herself and her husband after exchanging a knowing look with her husband. "What's wrong?" _

"_Just nightmares." Veiviser murmured as soon as he was safely tucked away in the blankets. "Thank you." _

"_Good-night Veiviser." Both of his parents chorused before extinguishing the single candle. _

_The room fell into darkness, but Veiviser felt safe among the warm blankets of his parents' bed. Fear left him, replaced by guilt. His parents were so innocent. They would be devastated to see that their son had run off in the middle of the night. However, he could not tell him that he was leaving. Good-byes would just bring tears to his eyes and they would stop him._

_Maybe it would be better not to go. There was no guarantee that Veiviser would even find the princess. She could've hid herself away so securely that no one would find her. Or perhaps she had gotten killed. A wild beast could easily have torn her apart if she had used the forest as an escape route. Tears stung Veiviser's eyes as he tried imaging the torn body of his playmate. She wouldn't let herself get killed, right? _

_Veiviser glanced at the face of his mother and then over at his father. They were sleeping peacefully, the only sound a light snore from his father. They would never suspect that their son would ever leave. He loved to play at being an adventurer, but when someone got down to his core, they found a young, easily scared boy. He wasn't brave at all. Even his parents knew it. _

_Except they didn't know one thing. Veiviser might be scared, but he was loyal to his friends. Kamaria was his best friend. She was alone, possibly cold and starving. She might be wishing for his company. Sure, she had said explicitly in her letter that Vei must not follow her, but perhaps she regretted it. Either way, he would fail his duty as a friend if he didn't follow her. _

_Carefully, Veiviser slid out from the covers of his parents' bed. His mom shifted slightly, causing Vei to freeze. However, she only rolled over before falling back into a motionless sleep. He let out a silent sigh before rushing out of the room. _

_In his own room, Veiviser peered into the shadows carefully before walking inside. He hastily grabbed a leather pack and his cloak. Veiviser was proud of this cloak as his mother had made it for him. He pinned it on before beginning to pack. He grabbed the blanket off his bed, mostly for Kamaria's sake if she happened to be freezing. _

_The next thing that entered his pack was food from the kitchen. Guilt welled up in him. It might be his house, but stealing was wrong. Sneaking around in the night and putting food into a bag made him feel like a thief. Gulping, Vei continued to stuff dried Kangaroc meat and buns (baked by his mother that very day) into the pack. He also managed to put in a canteen, full of water from the well outside. _

_With all the necessities taken care of, Veiviser hurried to where his father's simple weapons hung. Vei reached for a dagger. He didn't know how to fight with one, but it would be useful to skin any prey they could catch. Kamaria might know how to use it. _

_He also reached for a wooden club. It was made of a dark wood and it happened to be Veiviser's weapon of choice. The only things he had ever killed with it were forest creatures, usually small rodents. However, he was prepared to use it on bigger creatures if required. A small burst of magic (Veiviser was inept at most magic, but this was a very simple one that even he could manage) would allow the club to grow fierce spikes. He had only used this feature a few times, but it could prove useful if they were attacked. _

_Veiviser took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of his home. It was a mixture of the scent of his parents and himself, the flowers that his mother brought in, a smell of wood rot (the roof was suffering from excessive rain), and baked goods that his mother always found time to make. It was home and he was leaving it. Tears welled up in Vei's eyes. _

"_It's for Kamy." Veiviser muttered with a nod of his head. This strengthened his resolve and he was able to walk out the door. _

_Veiviser headed towards the forest. He had no tracking skills, so he wasn't sure how he would start his search for Kamaria. A part of him hoped that she would be waiting by her comfort tree. She might have gone back to it to ensure that he had found her letter. This part of him gave a skip to the boy's step. _

_Running away from home was an attractive idea to Veiviser. It was true that he had never liked staying away from home for too long, but now there would be a gallant reason to drive him onwards. He was following his friend into exile! How exciting was that! They would have many adventures and maybe one day he could come home. Galathron would be dead and they would be welcomed back as heroes. His parents would hug him and proclaim him a brave knight. As for Kamaria, the people would welcome her back with applause and a feast. He began humming softly. _

_Kamaria's glade was deserted as was her tree. This put a small frown on his face before he shrugged the disappointment off. She was probably hiding out in the woods or at a nearby village. It shouldn't take too long to locate her despite her head-start. _

_With that in mind, he began walking. The sounds of flapping wings and quiet paws hitting the ground scared Veiviser. The shadows held mysteries. What if someone lurked here, waiting to attack young Twili? Veiviser shivered before discarding the thought. No one could attack him out here. And if they did, they would face the terror of his spiked club. Vei touched the club's handle for comfort. _

_He realized that he had forgotten to take his young Messenger, Eclipse. If only he had taken the Messenger… Progress would have been a lot faster if he had. There was no going back. Veiviser sent a silent prayer that Eclipse would hunt after him before casting the brooding thoughts out of his mind. _

_Morning came. Veiviser's only results were fatigued muscles and blistered feet. The Twili boy sat down against a tree-trunk with a heavy sigh. Pulling out a strip of Kangaroc, the boy began to chew the meat._

_The forest's silence was unnerving him, so Vei began speaking softly to himself. "I'll find her soon. My only setback is that I didn't bring a Messenger. She probably didn't have the time to get hers either, so at least we're even." He nodded, satisfied before taking another bite._

"_I'll find her soon. She'll be cowering somewhere, hungry and cold. The blanket should help. So should my food. And once I find her, we can begin our adventures. They'll compose songs about us. Vei and Kamy, the strongest and youngest explorers alive." The thought pleased Veiviser._

_After his meal and a light nap, Veiviser continued on. The woods had gotten thicker. Brambles scratched at his arms, leaving small wounds. He ignored these. Kamaria would know the medicinal herbs to help keep infection away and they weren't even that bad. Still, this adventure was a lot less glamorous than he had thought it would be. _

_He had expected to find her quickly and then for the two to live off the wilderness. Blistered feet and thorns had not come to mind. The idea of being uncomfortable while sleeping on the ground had not occurred either. To him, his biggest concerns had been savage beasts. The beasts had always been slain by him with his powerful club or Kamaria's magic._

"_Kamy! Where are you?" Veiviser kept the chant up most of the time. The only times he stopped were to rest his aching throat. _

_Three days passed. Nothing new had happened. Veiviser was miserable. His feet were bloody from broken blisters, the rest of his body was lacerated from the thorns, he was running out of food, his water supply was low (and he had yet to find any rivers), and he was dead-tired. Along with all that was the dying hope of ever finding Kamaria. The world was a much bigger place than Vei had suspected and locating Kamaria was proving a lot tougher than he had first thought._

_Veiviser dropped to the ground. "I'm going to die here." He muttered quietly. The Twili boy let out a sob as he curled up into a ball. "Kamy, I'm sorry I failed you. I don't have the strength to find you… I'm just a big loser." More sobs escaped his throat. _

"_Where are you?!" He shouted at the forest. "Kamy, answer me! Kamaria! Eclipse! Mommy! Daddy! Someone! Please! Please… I don't want to die." He whimpered softly. Vei curled up tighter. _

_Minutes passed without an answer to his plea before the crashing of undergrowth alerted him to another presence. Veiviser shot up, his eyes red from the tears that had fallen. However, there was a huge smile on his face. _

"_Kamy, is that you?" He called, a little nervous. Kamaria didn't make sounds like this when she walked. What if it was a beast? His hand fell down to wrap around his club. "Kamy!" _

_A black creature smashed into Veiviser, sending him to the ground with a scream. This was it. This was the moment when he was to die, pitifully at the mercy of this monster… Veiviser had shut his eyes. When nothing happened except for excited tendrils wrapping around him, Vei opened his eyes. _

"_Eclipse! I'm so happy to see you!" He hugged the Messenger tightly. "I'm sorry I forgot about you." Tears of joy rolled down his face, wiping away the dirt that had plastered itself to his face. "We can find Kamy now!" All his discomfort was forgotten in that moment. Eclipse was here and everything would go well now! _

--

Veiviser stopped the story rather abruptly. He was watching the fire with a mixture of amusement on his face. "I was pathetic back then." He muttered finally with a shake of his head.

"You were young. All youth do stupid things out of cluelessness or misplaced grandeur all the time." Midna said with a shake of her head. "What happened next?"

Veiviser grinned slightly. "I'll have to remember to question you about your childhood if that's what you believe." Midna rolled her eyes, prompting the boy to return to his story, "We spent a few more days looking for her. Now that we went faster, we found a village. A couple took us in when they noticed how ragged we looked. When we questioned them about Kamaria, they said they had never seen a girl like that.

"That night we left the village after stocking up on supplies. We tried a few other villages, but it was the same result. Finally, we just gave up." Veiviser shrugged. "I felt like I had deserted my friend, but I couldn't handle it anymore. I missed my parents, my home. I missed my bed and by then, all my hope was gone." His voice was dejected.

"So you went home and everyone was happy to see you?" Midna questioned after Veiviser had paused for a few moments.

"Pretty much. My dad was proud that I had managed to live that long. They thought I had gotten myself killed." At the thought, Veiviser's eyes glistened.

--

_Veiviser stood in front of his house. "Mommy, Daddy, I'm home!" He called as he pushed the door open. _

_Both of his parents ran forwards to greet him. His mother grabbed him into a hug and cried wildly,_

"_Don't you ever leave me like that again!" _

_Her hair was a rat's nest. Red eyes, puffy from crying, stared at him. Salt trails smeared her face. Veiviser was surprised to see his mother so dirty. She had always been a clean woman, someone who pushed away the thought of having even the slightest messiness in her house. _

"_I won't." _

_Her hands clenched his shoulders tightly. "Promise me?" Her voice was steely as she stared intently with her reddened eyes. _

"_I promise I won't run away again." Veiviser said through the pain. Tears burst from him, halfway because of the pain of her biting fingernails and halfway because of his own joy of being home. "I missed you both." _

_A small smile appeared on his mother's face. "We missed you too." She pushed the crying face of her son into her shoulder and patted his back. "It's okay. You're back now, and everything will be okay now."_

_Veiviser nodded before turning his head up to look at his father. The Twili was standing in the background. There was a rare smile on his usually stern face. Unshed tears shined in his eyes. From the look of him, it appeared that he had been attempting to be strong for his wife._

"_Daddy!" Veiviser launched himself away from his mother to go over and hug his father. The stoic Twili accepted him, hugging his only son tightly. _

"_I never want you to do that again." His father whispered into Vei's large ear before adding, "But I'm so proud that you survived out there. You were looking for your friend, the princess?" _

_Veiviser nodded his head sadly. "I didn't find her." Disappointment dominated his tone. _

"_It's okay, son." His father patted his shoulder. "She doesn't want to be found." The forwardness of his words startled Veiviser and he looked up at his father's face. "If she did, she would've left behind a note. It's a large world and it's impossible to find someone who doesn't want to be found. It's best that you forget about her."_

"_But she was my best friend." Veiviser whimpered. He backed away from both his parents. His legs were shaking, ready to buckle. Eclipse, who had followed Vei into the house, pushed the boy towards a stool. He sat down heavily, head falling into his hands. _

"_I know, but you have to remember that losing a friend is a part of life. You may never see her again, but you'll continue to live regardless of that. The way you live is up to you." Veiviser looked up from his hands._

"_What?" He had been expecting his father to say something like this, but the choice his father left was surprising. He had been expecting an order to forget about her, not advice. _

"_You have two choices. You can dedicate your life in vainly searching for someone who doesn't want to be found, or you can do something with your life. You can find new friends, start training for your future occupation... In other words, live life."_

"_Can't I do both?" Questioning looks came to both his parents' faces. "I want to keep searching for Kamaria for a while longer, so I don't feel like I deserted her. But then can I go back to regular life?" _

"_If that's what you want, then of course you can." His mother said soothingly. _

--

"I never did find her." Veiviser said with a sad shake of his head. "I spent about a year searching various villages, always in the company of my parents. But I never found her… So I cast her from my mind and went back to living, as my father puts it."

"But you never really forgot her, did you?" Veiviser nodded. "Now that Galathron is gone, you're hoping she'll make herself easier to find. From what you said earlier, it sounds as if she does care about her people. You believe she won't leave them leaderless, to fall into warring chaos until one of the generals takes over. That's what you think, isn't it?"

Veiviser nodded his head. "It's a slim chance because she always keeps her word. She hates breaking promises." His eyes grew shiny from withheld tears.

Midna glanced over at Link. "We'll make sure she's found, but I can't make any promises. I'm not only doing it for the sake of Celestria." Because Vei had shared so much with them, Midna couldn't bear keeping it a secret anymore. "I need someone from the Celestrian royal house to help me get Link home. That is, if there's nothing useful in the library."

"If you find what you need, will you leave?" Veiviser's voice trembled. It was clear he hadn't expected a selfish reason for Midna and Link to help him.

To Vei's immense relief, she shook her head. "No. I'll stick around to help. I'll force Link to go back to the Light Realm, but I'll stay around to make sure your princess is crowned."

By now, Veiviser was aware of the deep love between his companions. He felt sadness that the two would have to separate. "Do you think you'll ever see him again if he goes?"

Midna shrugged. She had already prepared herself for that, but she doubted that any amount of preparation would help her get over never seeing the Hylian boy again. "So long as he doesn't die by the Viduata Solis, I will be satisfied." Satisfied, but unhappy that they were in different realms. Oh well, if that was the price to pay for his survival, she would do it.

They sat in silence for a while before Veiviser spoke up, "I guess we'd both better get some rest. Everyone else is." He gestured to Link and then at the slumbering Messengers.

Midna nodded her head in agreement. "Good night, Vei."

The boy lay down on the ground. He wrapped his cloak around himself and grew still. Midna watched him for a few moments before switching her gaze to Link.

"It'll be okay, Link." The useless, but comforting words slid out. She had always despised the saying as there was no reassurance that everything would be fine. It was a useless comfort, used by parents to lie to their kids. However, it made her feel better saying the words. It made the world feel less hopeless.

"Hey Midna?" Midna looked up in surprise. She had thought Veiviser was asleep, but apparently he wasn't. Her cheeks redden as she realized that he had heard her.

"Yes?" She hoped it wasn't going to be a ridiculing comment. If it was, she would blast the little Twili to smithereens.

"Thanks." The simple note of gratitude in his voice surprised Midna more than the fact that he hadn't been asleep. It was the type of genuine honesty that only a kid could conjure up.

"For what?" Was it for agreeing to search for Kamaria even if she managed to get Link to the Light Realm beforehand? He had already thanked her earlier for agreeing to search for the princess.

"For listening to my story." He paused. "And giving me new hope in finding her."

"You're welcome, Vei." Midna said, but the Twili boy was already snoring softly.

Midna rolled her eyes at his antics. He was a strange boy. One minute he would be jumping up and down in joy; the next he would be soberly telling a tale of fear and despair. Then he would turn around and become far more mature than any other kids his age. That would soon be broken by something ridiculous; a bad joke or snoring, in this case. He was odd, but Midna found herself liking the boy's energy and optimism.

She glanced over at Link and placed a hand on his face. Earlier his face had been cold, like the first time he had fallen over. Now it was the regular temperature for a Hylian. It brought a smile to Midna's face.

"Good-night Link." She quietly muttered before falling asleep herself.

---

**A/N: Another long chapter. It's even longer than the last chapter by a few hundred words. I'm pleased to inform everyone that the next chapter will contain their arrival to Celestria (finally). So far this story has been a pleasure to write and I'm always happy to read your reviews. With that said, until next time (which should be sometime next week unless something happens), **

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	7. A Decaying Kingdom

**Author's Notes: I'm back with another chapter. There's nothing for me to say except that I appreciate the reviews for the previous chapter. I don't really like the chapter's title, but it's the best I could come up with. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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_"Never deprive someone of hope... it may be all they have."  
-- Unknown._

_**Chapter 6: A Decaying Kingdom**_

"There it is!" Veiviser shouted enthusiastically, a huge grin forming on his tired face.

He was pointing at the capital of Celestria; Lunaris. The large city was situated in the middle of a vast field on a small hill. Imposing gray walls with red runes on them surrounded the whole city. Another set of inner walls protected the castle grounds. These inner walls were meant to be used if the enemy breached the outer walls and they were heavily guarded. The tops of turrets could be seen from where the trio of travelers stood.

As soon as Link had awoken, they had hastily begun their journey again. They had not stopped since then. All three Messengers were exhausted and ready to fall, but the sight of the city renewed their energies. Eclipse gave out a bark of triumph, causing Veiviser to chuckle. Veiviser, Link, and Midna were all tired of clinging on to the Messengers. However, they did not tell the Messengers to halt as they charged across the field.

"We're finally here." Midna breathed quietly.

She was relieved that the travel would be over soon. The fatigue was wearing away at Link and while he had chewed on an herb meant to lend him strength, he was getting tired again. It would do him a world of good to sleep in a regular bed today with no need to get up and travel immediately when he woke up. A good meal would also do a lot to restore his energy. In fact, a good meal seemed like the best idea in the world at the moment.

Of course, they would probably have to travel the next day to nearby villages if Kamaria was not in the city. Midna could not see the wisdom of hiding in Lunaris. It would've put her too close to Galathron. While the city was large, meaning it was easy to lose people, a loyal Messenger would easily find its owner in the city. It was safer to hide away from Lunaris. If she had left Celestria, Midna knew that it would take a long time to find her. A lot of time, or a lot of luck, neither of which Midna was certain that she had plenty of.

Link, meanwhile, was having different concerns. One of these was just the idea that he had to hold on tighter. However, his biggest concern was what the Celestrian Twili would think of him. He looked nothing like a Twili, so trying to pass as one was futile. Perhaps with a cloak and a hood, he could pass for a mysterious Twili, if there was enough fabric to cover his face. Link didn't want to lie to them like that, and he had an idea that they would be curious as to who he was.

"Hey Vei," Link called over to the boy. Veiviser had been riding in front, but at Link's call, he turned around. "What do the Celestrian Twili think of light dwellers?" Worrying about something that might not be true was useless. He had abstained from asking earlier because he had simply cast it from his mind. A mob of Twili was the last thing they needed to hamper their mission especially since the Viduata Solis already hampered the mission enough.

"Some like them, some are curious about what they are exactly, some hate them and blame them for our past." Veiviser shrugged before a devilish smile appeared, "But most don't give a damn about them." Link laughed along with Veiviser. Midna rolled her eyes, but joined in on the laughter.

"That's reassuring." Link nodded his head.

"Well…" Veiviser paused. "They might not be careless when they see one. They just don't care because they have more real concerns in their lives. They're too busy to worry about other realms when they have tangible concerns. However, when they see you, they might not be happy." Link's smile faded.

Veiviser saw this and added, "I'm sure they'll be fine with you. The stories of a blue-eyed hero in a green tunic saving the realm from Zant have reached Celestria. We used to think Zant would try and invade us. Galathron was ready to fight him, but when you came along, well Galathron didn't think highly of you. But he didn't think highly of anyone, so it's fine."

Link sighed. "If you say so." He wasn't entirely convinced, but he was hopeful that they would do fine.

"It'll be okay," Midna murmured to Link as Veiviser turned back around.

They soon stood before the gates. Above the gates, the crest of Celestria was imprinted in glowing red runes. There was a moat around the walls. Midna could imagine Galathron stocking the waters with dangerous fish. A flick of water further enhanced that idea. The gates were open as usual. Two guards lounged against the walls. They were engaged in friendly conversation.

The guards didn't even look over at the trio. Instead one of them began laughing wildly. Midna marked this as strange behavior. Any good guard would have carefully inspected any travelers and perhaps questioned the goods they carried. She brought this issue up to Veiviser in a whisper.

Vei answered with a grim face, "Because there is no king, they don't get paid. I suppose they're just so used to taking the shift that they do it anyway, but they're only going through the motions. We'll speak more once we reach my house."

Midna nodded. She was curious as to how much the city had actually fallen apart. Riding through the city on the Messengers allowed her to see. It wasn't as bad as she had expected and she realized that Veiviser had been exaggerating when he spoke of anarchy. Yes, there was a lot of mess and Midna bet that crime had gone up, but most Twili were still going about their business. Unless they worked in the castle or for the royalty.

The cobbled streets were lined with a variety of shops (still functioning as if a king existed). Apartments sat on top of the shops. Odors, both delicious and disgusting, mixed in the air to create a strange aroma. Midna wrinkled her nose at the scent, but she soon got used to it since every city has this mixture of good and bad smells. Dark alleys held narrowed eyes that quickly disappeared when she looked in their direction. Midna bet that they were the eyes of criminals, but she had no time to pause and investigate. As in all cities, Twili jostled their way past each other. They stayed away from the travelers to avoid being crushed by the Messengers. However, these Twili did stop to stare at Link.

It wasn't long before a Twili shouted, "What are you?" The voice was rude and belonged to a grumpy-looking man. A chorus of "yeas" agreed with him. The groups of Twili circled around the three Messengers. They stared. Some had hostile eyes, but the majority of them had plain curiosity written on their faces. They had never seen someone with skin this color.

Link was startled at how quickly the Twili had gathered. He wondered what he should say, but fortunately for him Veiviser spoke up first.

"This is Link!" His voice boomed, quieting everyone. They turned to look at Vei, occasionally casting glances at Link and then at Midna. "And that is Midna, the Twilight Princess."

Murmurs spread across the crowd. At that moment, Midna could've slapped Veiviser. She would've preferred that her status be kept a secret until Kamaria was found. The last thing she needed was any Twili still loyal to Galathron hunting after her, if there were any Twili like that.

"She's the one who killed Galathron!" One shout said.

Another verbalized, "Is she going to take over now that we have no ruler? Celestria has been its own kingdom for so long. And what is that strange-looking guy doing with the Twilight Princess? A fiancé? Is he to be our ruler when the Princess is away?"

"Silent!" Veiviser roared. "I will explain."

"Who are you?" Someone called. Another voice answered, "It's a messenger from our realm, of course!"

"No he's not! He's an imposter messenger. He's only a young boy."

"But he's so tall for a little boy."

Veiviser opened his mouth, but no one turned back to him. They were turned around, in the direction where the two voices were coming. One seemed to know the boy and Veiviser recognized this Twili as an old tutor of his. He had tried teaching Veiviser how to fight with a blade, but Vei had given up the sword in favor of his trusty club. The other Twili was a surprised woman, who could not believe that such a tall Twili could be a boy.

"Early growth spurt." The teacher answered. The crowd chuckled.

"Can you just listen?!" Veiviser screamed impatiently. Eclipse let out a roar, blanketing the crowd in silence. There were a few moments of quiet before Veiviser began to speak, "Now then… My name is Veiviser. As you all know, Galathron died a while ago. Midna is here not to rule over us, but to give us a ruler."

This caused another outburst from the audience. "Give us a ruler? Who? The blonde boy? You?" This comment was meant with derisive laughter.

"It's not me. Or Blondie, for that matter." This caused more laughter and an indignant scowl to appear on Link's face. "She and Link are going to find the missing princess Kamaria."

The crowd burst into laughter. The Twili who had originally challenged the trio spoke up, "That's ridiculous! She's been gone for so long. Nobody knows where she is. And you think that the Twilight Princess and Blondie can find her?! What a joke!" The crowd agreed with the grouch.

"Midna has powerful magic. And as for Link… Well, he's the Hero of Twilight." This silenced the crowd. Their stares turned to Link, making him shift uncomfortably. "He's the one who saved Midna's realm from Zant."

"He comes from the Light Realm!" A Twili yelled, "What's he doing here? What problems are there for him to fix? If there are none, he should go back to where he belongs."

Veiviser waited with his arms crossed. Eventually the yelling subsided as Twili noticed that Vei was ready to relate more information to them. When all was silent, the boy smiled and began to speak, "Now, I want you all to listen and not interrupt me as I speak. Understood?"

The crowd mumbled their consent and Vei began, "Midna and Link are here to search for Kamaria." Veiviser began to explain the mission of how they were going to find the princess (though he wasn't quite sure how) and how they would crown her.

Meanwhile, Midna glanced over at Link. His skin was beginning to pale and fear that he would faint once more rushed over Midna. The mob would go wild if their so-called savior fell over. They wouldn't believe him capable of finding Kamaria and they would think him weak. Any possible assassins would take the advantage.

"Hang in there, Link," Midna murmured to him.

The Hylian nodded his head, but he didn't dare speak. His head was starting to throb and the shouts from the crowds were not helping him either. Macha's mane curled around Link's lower arms, so that he didn't have to use as much energy holding on. His chin fell down, so it leaned against his chest.

Veiviser finished off by saying, "No one shall harm either of our guests for they're here to help us. You all know how chaotic things are becoming. If we do not find Kamaria soon, we shall have to find another leader without the royal blood to take the throne. The fighting that will come of it will not be good. So what do you all think? We can show them how hospitable us Celestrians really are, right?"

The crowd roared their approval. One of them piped a question to Veiviser, "Where shall they sleep? We can prepare a room in the palace."

"We already have safe sleeping arrangements. It would help if all of you just let us go on our way now."

Slowly the crowd began to leave to go to other business. They stared at Link and Midna for a while as they passed, but no one made any threatening moves or stinging remarks at either of them. However, pessimistic mutters about the impossibility of their quest did reach their ears. Eventually it was possible to resume their ride to their living quarters.

"I think that went well." Veiviser said with a grin.

"Better than I expected," Midna replied honestly. "However, they don't have much hope that we'll succeed, do they?"

Veiviser shrugged, "They just don't understand."

"We'll prove them wrong." Link added with a nod. His head fell, so that he was staring at Macha's broad shoulders. "How much longer?" He asked, not wanting to sound pushy but knowing that he could not take a long journey through the streets.

"Just a bit. My house is a bit closer to the palace, but fortunately it's away from the bustle of the markets."

They plodded on in silence. Finally Eclipse let out an excited yelp and Veiviser said, "This is it!"

They had stopped in front of a nice house among other homes. This was a purely residential district. Because the district was near the castle, many Twili who worked for the monarch lived here. Some of the houses were deserted from the looks of them and Midna wondered whether their inhabitants had been blood bound. Other homes still seemed to hold all their members. These were the lucky ones who had held members of lower ranks.

The walls of the house itself were made of a dark wood. There was grass growing in front of the house and Midna could see a small cobblestone path that took a visitor to the backyard. A squat building in the back served as the stables for Messengers. Like all the buildings in Celestria, red runes traveled across the outside walls. An intricate rune was etched on to the door. The door was a smooth slab of dark stone. No knobs or handles of any kind existed on it.

The trio dismounted from their Messengers. Eclipse barked at them and began to walk towards the path leading to the path. Sleipnir gave Midna one last protective glance (though you really couldn't tell his expression from his masked face) before trotting after Eclipse. Macha trailed behind them, casting concerned looks at Link. The Hylian smiled at her reassuringly. They disappeared out of sight as they turned the corner of the house.

Link turned away from Macha and gave a questioning glance at the odd door. Veiviser saw and grinned. "It's our way of locking up." He placed a hand on the rune. It glowed red momentarily before the door slid up. "Presto!"

"All the doors function like this in Celestria." Veiviser lectured with a fond smile. "Only certain Twili know the spells to open each door, so it's well-protected. I think there's some sort of magic that allows only certain magical signatures to open doors, further protecting the house."

Link asked, "What do you mean by magical signatures?" Magic had never been used in Ordon Village and while Link had seen plenty of it on his adventure, he had never been given any tutorials about it.

"Every Twili has a different magical signature, like your fingerprints." Midna explained. "Objects can be enchanted, so that only certain signatures will allow them to open. Some of the doors back home work like this, but we also have a lot of non-magical doors."

Veiviser waved his hand, allowing Link and Midna to step into his house. The dark halls were lit by the light trickling in from the outside as well as supplementary lighting from candles. The wood floor was dark. There were a few paintings on the wall, but the hall's walls were mostly unadorned. A stairway led upstairs and there was an opening into the joint living room and dining room. Bustling sounds came from the end of the house. From the aromatic scents that drifted from that direction, Midna assumed that it was the kitchen.

As the door slid shut, the sounds stopped. There was a brief clattering and then quick footsteps slapped the wood flooring.

"Oh Veiviser, you're finally back!" A motherly voice shouted in delight.

The owner of this voice came into view a few seconds later. This Twili had curly red hair that fell down to her shoulders. She was a bit on the plump side and she had small wrinkles on her face, but one could tell that she had been beautiful in her youth. Like Veiviser, she had teal runes on her body. However, her most striking feature was her cheerful yellow eyes. They looked so exactly like Vei's that Midna instantly knew that it was his mother.

"Hello mother," Veiviser said, accepting the hug from her.

"I'm so happy to see that you're back." Her shoulders shook slightly as she sobbed into Veiviser's chest. The boy stood a head taller than her. He patted her on the head before saying,

"Mom, we have guests. This is Link and this is Midna, the Twilight Princess."

Veiviser's mother tore away from her son to look at the two newcomers. Subconsciously, her hands drifted down to dust some flour off her apron. A kindly smile spread over her face as she inspected the two of them.

"Hello Link, Twilight Princess." Veiviser's mother bobbed her head in greeting. "I'm sorry to say that we don't have too much, but I'll do my best to make sure you have every luxury we can afford."

"Thank you for your hospitality. Your house is beautiful." Midna smiled at Veiviser's mom. "You can just call me Midna."

"Midna." Veiviser's mom repeated before adding, "You may call me Naeva."

Link and Midna both smiled at her. She was a pleasant woman. It would be easy to stay in her company. "It's nice to meet you, Naeva."

"Likewise," Naeva smiled cheerfully before turning around. "Now how about you three go and wash yourselves off? I'll have a plate of snacks ready by the time you return. Then you can tell me what exactly you are doing here." She walked off at a quick gait, returning to the kitchen that was her haven.

When everyone had settled in and washed away the dirt of travel, they proceeded to Veiviser's living room. There was an area with a comfortable couch and three overstuffed armchairs situated around a fireplace. A table sat in the middle of this. Above the fireplace, there was an interesting array of things. Two crossed blades hung there along with a large mounted fish Vei had caught a few years ago with his father. There was an axe, an empty place where Veiviser hung his club, and a few trophies proudly proclaiming "Best Baker of the Year". A cracked mask from a fallen Messenger (probably a Messenger who had served the family) hung among these objects.

Midna sat down on the couch with Link who sank down into the comfortable cushions gratefully. He was sure that his headache would leave now that he no longer had to work to hold on to Macha. Veiviser leaped into an armchair. Naeva soon came into the room with a tray. There were four cups of tea on it. Along with the tea, there was a delicious assortment of jam buns. Naeva set these carefully on the table before sitting down.

Veiviser quickly snatched a jam bun and began stuffing it down his throat. The boy was ravenous. Midna and Link each took one. Taking a bite, Midna found that it was sweet. She savored the taste before swallowing. No wonder Veiviser tore into the pastry at such a speed. The slightly bitter tea was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the jam bun.

"Now Veiviser, I would like you to explain what these two are doing here. I know you said that you were fetching help to keep chaos from engulfing Celestria, but what exactly do these two have to do with it?" Naeva asked, sipping at her tea.

"They've agreed to help me find Kamaria!" Veiviser said with a grin. His mother let out a small gasp.

Midna examined Naeva silently. The Twili's face was creased with worry lines. It was clear to see that she did not believe they could accomplish such a task. At the thought, Midna felt some irritation. Why was it that no one believed the task was possible? Was it because it really was that hopeless, or was it because the Celestrians doubted their abilities?

"Princess Kamaria has been missing for years. How are they going to find her?" She glanced at them and murmured, "Not that I doubt your abilities, but how do you find someone who has been missing for years?"

Veiviser shrugged. "They said they would do all they could." He himself really wasn't sure what the two of them planned to do. Perhaps magic of some sort? He looked over at Midna and Link.

Midna took over, "I might be able to use some magic to find her. If that doesn't work, I'll think of something. We promised to help Vei and your kingdom."

"Oh, bless you both." Naeva smiled, nodding her head sweetly to both of them. "It won't be easy. Princess Kamaria may not want to come back, but she was such a sweet girl… I'm sure she'll come if you explain things to her." Her tone suggested that she wasn't as sure as her words led one to believe.

The sound of a door sliding open halted the conversation. Veiviser stopped munching on his third bun. "Dad!" He cried happily.

A tall Twili walked into the room. His face was haggard from the work of the day. Slate-green eyes accessed the scene in his living room. He was wearing a gray shirt with red runes on the sleeves. Leather pants, gloves, belt, and boots completed his uniform. It was similar to Veiviser's and it was easy to see how Veiviser had gotten his messenger disguise. Veiviser's father had a crew-cut of orange hair that complimented his dark orange markings. There was a small scowl on his face, but it changed into a weary smile at the sight of his son and his guests.

"It's good to see you, Veiviser." His dad said with a nod at the grinning boy. He looked over at the guests and then at Naeva, "Hello Naeva."

As he said her name, she stood up and swept her arm towards Link and Midna, "These are Veiviser's friends, Link and Midna. Link's the hero while Midna is the Twilight Princess."

Veiviser's father bowed, first to Midna and then to Link. "Greetings, Twilight Princess, Hero of Twilight." His baritone voice sounded in the room. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. You may call me Aleron."

Midna smiled at Aleron, "It's nice to meet you too. Seeing as we're staying at your house for a few days, you can call me Midna."

Link smiled too. Aleron's face was a serious one, but it was a friendly one as well. "Hello Aleron. I'm just Link. I don't go by any titles."

"Very well." Aleron nodded his head to both of them before sinking down into an armchair. He reached over and picked up a jam bun.

Naeva stood up and began walking towards the kitchen. "They're here to help Veiviser find Princess Kamaria."

Aleron's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Are you sure you'll be able to find her? She hasn't been seen for years. No one's even sure she's alive anymore."

"I know she's alive." Veiviser said, eyes burning. "She has to be," he muttered.

"Well then, I wish you luck in your desperate search." Aleron nodded to both Link and Midna. He still believed it would end as a failure, but there was nothing he could say to convince them to drop the mission. Which is why he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Naeva came back in, carrying a cup of tea. She handed it to Aleron before sitting back down. "What's the castle like right now?"

Aleron sighed, lowering the teacup from his lips. "Things are hectic. Everyone still shows up, mainly because we're so used to it. Most of them don't do their job anymore. The guards sit around and gossip. The servants do the same. Everything's a mess. There are a few Twili who are looking to establish some working order, but we're failing." Aleron had not begun to shirk his duty. Despite only being a messenger, he had finished relaying news of Galathron's death to surrounding villages and was now working on helping establish order.

"Don't you have a Parliament that aided the king? A group of advisors? Someone who could become regent until another is crowned?" Midna questioned, thinking of her own council of advisors. They could be annoying at times and it was dreadful to sit through the sessions, but they were useful and Midna valued their advice. She knew that she could count on them to keep things in complete order when she was away.

"All dead." Aleron said with a sorry nod. "One day they all just fell over dead, with three diagonal slashes running through their chests. We assumed that Galathron had been killed, and we were right."

"He blood bound all his advisors?" Midna asked in disbelief. Sure, she had always known Galathron as a paranoid king who trusted no one, but to leave no one behind as a regent?

"He feared that one of them would rebel." Aleron answered. "If he had left someone behind, things wouldn't be in such a state." He let out a sigh.

Veiviser muttered darkly, "He didn't care what happened to the kingdom after he died." He reached for another bun.

"Veiviser! Don't say such things!" Naeva gasped in shock. "Every king cares for his subjects." She had never known Galathron personally, but he had been an okay ruler. He had built up defenses in case Zant invade and he had kept thieves off the streets. But as Naeva thought about it, she had to agree that what Veiviser said was likely. He had rarely invested in long-term building projects unless they related to the military or to him.

"If Kamaria is alive, then I hope you find her. We need a capable ruler and while she would only be 12 right now, she was always an avid studier. She would be able to restore order especially if she chooses loyal advisors." Aleron said. "Meanwhile, I will work with the others to get rid of any chaos in the city. As you know, crime rates have been soaring. A lot of the guards won't do a thing about it because there's no one to manage their paychecks."

"Isn't there any Twili capable to act as regent?" Midna asked.

Aleron shook his head, "We haven't been able to establish anyone on the throne. The smartest and strongest Twili all died when Galathron did. The only ones left are the ones who were in low positions. None of us have the education to govern a kingdom, and no one respects us anyway. I would ask you to do the job, but the people would not be pleased to be ruled by a foreigner."

Midna nodded head in agreement. She had never thought about ruling Celestria herself. While she was willing to help them, she had no desire to take the throne. "We'll find Princess Kamaria as quickly as we can. Surely the people will accept her."

Naeva nodded her head, but Aleron remained silent in thought. "The people loved her when she was young, don't you remember?" Aleron nodded his head to Naeva's comment.

Veiviser grinned and clued Link and Midna in on what they were speaking about, "Kamaria was always kind to anyone she met. She helped them out if she could. She gave money to the poor, she helped elderly Twili. She was a perfect little girl." His voice was full of adoration for his playmate. "The people would love to have her as their ruler."

"Hopefully." Aleron added gloomily. Veiviser looked at his dad in question. "They might doubt her ability to lead at such a young age. Or perhaps they will be unhappy that she hadn't returned sooner."

"Everything will be fine once Kamaria's here." Veiviser said forcefully. He didn't want to believe anything different and his childish mind blocked out any doubt about it.

The table lapsed into partial silence. The only sounds came from the quiet sipping of tea and the sounds of chewing from Veiviser. Each of them was in their own world of thought. Would Kamaria be found? Would it be possible to put her back on the throne? Would the people accept her? Would she accept the crown? So many questions and only one way to answer them.

Midna broke the silence. "You said we could use the library, right?" Her question was directed at Veiviser and he nodded his head. "When can we go there?"

Midna knew that they would not begin their search for Kamaria today. Tomorrow would be the start of their search. Today was free for any activity they wished to participate in.

"Anytime," Veiviser said with a shrug that indicated it didn't matter to him.

"Except today." Naeva said sharply. "I want you three to rest. You cannot rest in a dusty library. I will cook a real meal and then you shall all head to bed. Tomorrow after you finish your search for Kamaria, you can visit the library if you like."

Midna opened her mouth to complain before closing it when Link put a hand on her arm. She looked at the Hylian in mild irritation and a face that clearly asked, "What?"

Link nodded at Naeva. "Thank you. We'd love a good meal." He looked back at Midna. "We'll go tomorrow or the next day after that. I know you won't admit it, but you're just as tired as me and Vei. You'll need your energy for tomorrow."

Midna glanced around at all the faces. Naeva's was determined and motherly, a face that didn't want her to go. Link's was similar. Veiviser's was mostly apathetic (seeing as most of his attention was on his next jam bun), but he was shaking his head slightly to tell her not to go. Aleron spoke up,

"I would be happy to show you there tomorrow, but I am far too exhausted to go right now." His tone was strict and it ended the argument. She would head there tomorrow or perhaps the next day if they spent too long searching for Kamaria.

--

Two figures sat tucked away in one of the booths of a shady bar. The atmosphere was dark and there was the poignant scent of alcohol and smoke. It was an unpleasant place and it disgusted her. However, she had learned that it was a useful place for information. Twili seemed to spill out all their secrets when they had drunk enough.

The figure across from her was eagerly slurping down another drink. The man disgusted her. How could he drink something so putrid? She would never know. As she thought over the news he had given her, her fingers tapped on her full glass.

"So the Twilight Princess has finally arrived in Lunaris?" There was a nod from the Twili who had given her the news.

A scowl formed on her face, but it went unnoticed by the drinking Twili. Her face creased in concentration. How would this affect her mission? Certainly it would hamper it. The tempo at which her fingers tapped sped up.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her. Her scowl became a twisted smile. Perhaps the Twilight Princess and the Hero would not prove to be an obstacle? They could even be an asset, if she played things right. They could lead her right to her victim. She had been searching uselessly for weeks now, but they might be able to do the hard work for her.

She stood up abruptly. Her companion glanced up at her. "Leaving already? I could use with some company for the night." His eyes focused on her figure momentarily. A stupid smile formed on his lips.

She scowled at him and left without a word. Stupid drunk, they were only good for one thing and that was easy information. He would not remember her by tomorrow, which was important for a stealthy mission such as this one.

The fresh air hit her face as she left the bar. A sigh of relief left her. The air was still not as clean as what she was accustomed to, but she figured it was a city thing. Tomorrow she would be able to leave this dump of a city. That is, if the Twilight Princess and her friends chose to leave the city as well. She hoped they would. It would be a relief to get out in the open air again.

Yes, tomorrow would be the day she would finally be able to complete her mission. It would be a glorious day of blood and sweet vengeance.

---

**A/N: Cut! I hoped you enjoyed that little teaser I placed at the end. It was actually the easiest and the hardest part to write of this entire chapter. Easy, because it's a simple scene, but hard because I had to be careful not to give too much away. At first I was going to leave the gender ambiguous, but that turned out too tough to do. Reviews are appreciated. **

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon**_


	8. The Lonely Town

**Author's Notes: Thanks for all the reviews! There's nothing else to say except enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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_"To read the papers and to listen to the news… one would think the country is in terrible trouble. You do not get that impression when you travel the back roads and the small towns do care about their country and wish it well."_  
_-- Charles Kuralt_

_**Chapter 7: The Lonely Town**_

Midna woke up from a good night's rest. It had been pleasant to sleep in a real bed again rather than the prickly, hard ground of the forest. She lay still for a few moments, enjoying the feel of the soft blankets against her skin. It would be so easy to drift back into lovely sleep again and forget all about the problems of this world. Her red eyes shot open as she pushed herself up. She could not forget the mission.

"Good morning." Link greeted her with a friendly smile.

He was sitting back in a chair by her bed, perusing a map of Celestria. As usual, the Hylian had his green tunic on. Midna searched for any fatigue in his face, but it appeared to have disappeared after the comfortable rest. The fingers that had been trailing over the map reached over to take her hand.

"Are you feeling better?" Midna asked.

Link nodded his head. "Yeah. In fact, I might as well not be sick anymore for how I feel right now."

"You can stay here. Vei and I can find Princess Kamaria quickly without hassling you."

"I'm coming along whether you want me to or not." Link said with a firm shake of his head. His fingers tightened around Midna's hand. "I can't let you two get all the fun. Anyway, I'm going to feel useless if I stay behind."

"You're going to be useless even if you come." Midna teased.

His smile faltered for a second, but he soon realized that it was a joke and the smile was back. He shrugged and answered back, "I might not be useless if there's something we have to fight. What if someone decides to attack us and you need my sword fighting expertise?"

"What expertise?" Midna raised an eyebrow in question. "If we ride long enough, you'll slip right off Macha. I'm sure most foes won't lose to a fallen hero."

"I really am feeling a lot better." Link's voice was confident and Midna wanted to believe him. But what if the disease struck him hard while they were riding? It would hamper the progress of their search. "And I'm going to find a way to follow you even if you don't want me to."

Midna sighed, "You're the only person I know who would stubbornly go after something when he's obviously disabled at the moment." It was a trait that Midna admired in Link, but sometimes it was such a bother. This was one of those times.

"I'm not disabled." Link shot back. Seeing Midna's doubtful expression, he crossed his arms. "Okay, not that much. I might get a bit tired, but it's useless for me to sit here in Vei's home with nothing to do. I'm here to help and you're not going to confine me to this house." He smiled at her. "So what do you say? I either come along with your permission or I tag along without your permission."

Midna glared at Link, receiving only a smile in return. They stared at each for a few moments before the heavy thud of feet on steps broke the silence. Only one person was so loud in the morning and that was Veiviser.

"Fine. You'll come along." Midna growled, averting her eyes so that she would not have to see a festive Link.

At that moment, the door was thrown open by Veiviser. The boy glanced between the cheery look on Link to Midna's annoyed expression. He understood what had happened, causing a bigger smile to appear on his face.

"I see the lovers' quarrel." Veiviser said in sing-song voice.

The only reply Veiviser got was a pillow chucked into his face (from Midna) and a quiet mutter of "We're not fighting" (from Link). Vei stumbled back before tossing the pillow back on to the bed.

"I'm going to make a wild guess and say that Link convinced you that he's going whether you want him to not."

Midna looked up in surprise at Veiviser. "How did you know?" Vei couldn't be that perceptive, could he? It was fairly obvious, but still…

"Naeva asked Link to stay home and he gave her the same choice. I figured you would bring it up as well." Veiviser grinned proudly.

Midna glared at the boy before setting her sights on the map in Link's hands. "Have you already settled on a place to search first?"

Link shook his head. "I'm just familiarizing myself with the land. Vei and I have been waiting for you to wake up to make that choice. We were wondering whether you would be able to track Kamaria." Veiviser nodded his head to affirm Link's words.

"There's only one way I could track her, and I'm uncertain that it's even possible for us." Midna said hesitantly. She hadn't wanted to say it earlier at dinner, but there was a chance that her magic would not work.

"What do you need?" Veiviser asked.

"I need something with a trace of Kamaria's magical signature. If I had that, I could probably find her quickly."

The trio sat in silence. Veiviser was searching his mind for anything that could possess Kamaria's signature. All the doors in the palace had been changed to prevent the exiled princess from sneaking back in. Perhaps an object of hers would work. He didn't really know much about magic, but he had heard that items often absorbed a part of someone's signature. Unfortunately, Galathron had seen that all of her stuff had been burned.

Midna and Link watched Veiviser as he nibbled his lip in thought. The boy's eyes widened as a realization struck him and he jumped up.

"I'll be back!" Veiviser charged out of the room.

Midna cast a questioning glance at Link. He shrugged and shook his head. Neither of them had any clue as to what Veiviser had thought up. Their only clue was that it was somewhere in his house since they could already hear his returning footsteps.

Veiviser came in, waving some parchment triumphantly. It was yellowed with age, but Midna could see that the neat script was still legible. The boy's cheeks reddened as he held the slip of paper out for Midna.

"It's the letter that Kamaria wrote for me when she disappeared… The one I found in the tree. I was wondering whether it would work."

Midna peered closely at the piece of paper. She said, "You realize that for me to be able to track with an object the object must either have been in her possession for a long time or it must have been enchanted by her. Did she cast any magic on this?"

Veiviser nodded his head eagerly before stopping. His ears fell a bit as he answered, "There used to be one, but the magic is fading. The enchantment was one to make the words appear like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to anyone but me. I think she did it because she wanted to make sure it didn't fall into anyone else's hands. But… It's nearly gone."

Midna nodded her head. The script was legible. Obviously the magic had only been meant for short-term use. However there were still parts of the letter that mixed together into a mass of unreadable scrawls.

Veiviser was watching her with wide eyes that begged her to try. Link nodded his head at the piece of paper and then at Vei. Midna understood.

"I'll try." A grin shot on to Veiviser's face. "I can't guarantee that this will work, but I'll see if there's any magical signature left on this. Just stay quiet." Veiviser made the motion of zipping his lips before sitting down. His body was trembling in excitement.

Closing her eyes so that she wouldn't be distracted by the jumpy boy, she focused on the letter in her hands. Cautiously her magic pored through the letter to search for any trace of the signature. Just when Midna thought she would have to give up, she caught on to a flare of magic. Midna seized it with her mind and carefully memorized it. The signature was unmistakably a royal one. It was violet and pockmarked with red runes. Despite the fact that it was faint, it had not disappeared completely.

Her eyes opened. The image of the signature was imprinted on her mind though she knew that she would require the letter to search for the signature. Her lips twisted up into a smile.

"We're going to find Kamy!" Veiviser screeched in joy. The boy jumped up into the air before hugging both Midna and Link to him. "Thank you both for coming here."

Midna slipped away from the boy. "What are you celebrating for? We still have to get her to come with us. Plus, I'm unsure how accurate of a fix I can get on her. Most likely I'll only be able to find the village she's staying in."

"That's good enough for me." Veiviser said. He raced out of the room to tell his parents the good news. Midna rolled her eyes.

"He's excited." Link said with a smile of his own. "It's nice that we're able to help." He reached over to hold Midna's hand.

She slipped her hand away before he could reach it and smirked, "What do you mean 'we'? _You_ haven't done anything."

"Fine. It's nice to see that you can be of service to him. I'll prove that I'm useful if we get jumped on the way over to her."

"Let's go and eat. Then we'll set off for her." Link nodded his head in agreement with Midna's idea and the two proceeded downstairs for breakfast.

Naeva stood beaming in the kitchen with a tray of scrambled Kangaroc eggs in her hands. The aromas of her cooking were intoxicating and they both greeted her with an eager "good morning".

"Good morning to both of you." Naeva led them to the dining room where Veiviser sat demolishing a platter of eggs. A half-eaten jam bun sat by his plate. Apparently, he had began eating as soon as he had told his mom the news. "Eat as much as you want." Naeva told them as they sat down.

They watched as Naeva piled their plates with eggs. They each reached for a jam bun and placed it down beside their meal of egg. A glass of milk was placed by the plate. Naeva watched them dig in with a large smile on her face.

Veiviser finished up the rest of his breakfast and let out a satisfied burp. His mother cast him a sharp look and he grinned sheepishly, muttering, "Excuse me." He slid out from the table and began heading towards the stairs. "I'll be back soon. Just have to get ready for the day." He raced off.

Naeva turned towards Midna and Link. "Thank you so much for agreeing to do this." There was no need for her to say what that thing was. Everyone knew.

Midna swallowed her mouthful before smiling back at Naeva, "It's our pleasure to help."

Link nodded his head, "We're always glad to help others."

Naeva smiled. "It's not just the help you're offering for my kingdom that I'm thanking you for. Veiviser's been in a better mood since he came back with you two. Even if he got over her departure, I think it always hurt him to have lost his best friend. You've given him hope and for that I thank you. How can I ever repay you for what you've done?"

"There's no need to thank us any further than you already have. When your husband shows us the library, it'll be all we need as thanks." Midna said.

"Are you sure?" Naeva glanced between the two.

They both nodded. Link added, "The food you make is some of the best I've eaten, so you can count that as payment as well."

Naeva clapped her hands together. "Then I'll set on making a delicious dinner for when you come back."

They went back to their breakfast while Naeva hurried off to the kitchen. Aleron came downstairs, clad in the same messenger clothing he had worn the day before. He paused by the entrance to the dining room, watching both Midna and Link thoughtfully.

"Good luck in finding the princess." Aleron bade. There had been a mixture of doubt and hope in his voice. He added, "If I'm not back from work when you get back, come to the castle and ask for Aleron. I'll take you to the library then."

With that, they said their farewells to the stern Twili as he departed to another day of trying to regain order in the castle. Breakfast was finished quietly, Midna and Link each in their little world of thought. Their thoughts were remarkably similar, fixated on Kamaria and the Viduata Solis.

"You done?" Veiviser took in the scene before nodding his head. "Then let's go!" He pointed his wooden club up into the air. There was a pack strapped to his back. Because they would not be going far, Veiviser had volunteered to carry a pack full of food for lunch, a canteen, and some medicine.

"Right. The faster we find her, the faster we can settle other issues." Midna stood up, leaving the dishes for Naeva to clean up (yesterday she had offered to help the Twili, but Naeva had stubbornly refused to allow a house-guest to aide her).

Link cast Midna a look that told her not to worry about it. She rolled her eyes at him. Of course, there was need to worry but Midna cast them far away. If all went well, everything would turn out okay. However, from past experience, Midna knew that there was never a time when everything went well. Something always came to complicate the already arduous quest.

Eclipse ran up to them as soon as they got outside. He bumped his head into Veiviser's thigh, nearly knocking the tall boy over. Sleipnir and Macha followed calmly behind, their manes prickling up in excitement at the sight of them.

"We're going to see Kamy again." Veiviser said with a laugh, ruffling his hand through the tentacle mane. Eclipse barked.

The Messenger was so excited that Veiviser had a hard time mounting him. It seemed as if it was impossible for Eclipse to stay still at the mention of his master's old playmate. He kept on shifting around, but Veiviser finally managed to mount him with a lucky leap on to his back. Vei looked around, noting that Link and Midna sat ready on their perspective Messengers.

"Can you track her now?" Veiviser asked eagerly as they set off.

"Let's wait to get out of the city. The smells aren't making it easy to focus."

Veiviser nodded his head and tapped Eclipse's side. The Messenger sped off through the streets, the other two trailing behind him. An elderly man shouted at them for going so fast in a zone where there were pedestrians, but he was ignored by Veiviser. Midna laughed quietly at the sight of his indignant face.

Half-hearted cheers rose up from some of the Twili they passed. "Bring Princess Kamaria home!", "Good luck", and "The Princess will clean up the streets!" were the most common catcalls. These Twili hoped that the Princess would be found, but a shadow of doubt cloaked each of their hearts. They didn't really think that this mission was possible, but if it was, then they would be overjoyed. That is, if the dear Princess hadn't changed in her years of exile.

Veiviser waved to all these people, shouting, "Don't worry! You'll have a queen before this week ends." Midna hoped that this was true.

Once out of the city, Veiviser called Eclipse to a stop. He turned back with a grin and announced, "We're out of the city."

"Thank you for stating the obvious." Midna replied. Vei opened his mouth for a comeback, but Midna put a hand on her lips. "I need silence to track her down."

Clutching the letter in her hands, Midna closed her eyes and quickly found the recognizable signature of Kamaria. Once she had a hold on it, she cast her mind out to flow over the land. She could sense the signatures of Veiviser and Link. Veiviser's was a faint orange while Link's was golden with interlacing lines of darkness and green running through it. She ignored them both and instead searched for Kamaria's. Dozens of magical signatures appeared on her radar, but her magic was being propelled to one location only. Finally she found it and opened her eyes.

This entire time Veiviser and Link had been waiting her anxiously. They could see no changes in Midna. In fact, she might as well have fallen asleep for the lack of action she was presenting. Veiviser felt a strong temptation to nudge her shoulder, but he didn't dare due it in case she yelled at him or it ended up messing up the spell. When her eyes opened, both boys jumped.

"You've got it!" Veiviser shouted in victory.

"Partly." Veiviser opened his mouth to launch questions at her, but Midna cut him off. "Let me explain and then you can ask anything I missed, okay? Good… Now I have located her general location. From the number of other signatures present, it's a town. However, her signature is too weak on this paper and I can't get a more accurate reading on it. We'll have to search for her in the town ourselves."

Veiviser let out a whoop of victory as Link joked, "I guess we'll just have to knock every door, won't we?"

Midna nodded to Link before setting her eyes straight ahead, "I don't know what the town is called, but I know where it is. Follow me."

Sleipnir began loping through the thick grass. He took the lead position with Macha and Eclipse running behind him on his flanks. They were soon racing though the forest once again. There were no paths to use because the town was a secluded one. This made little difference to the Messengers who simply leaped over any thick swathes of thorns when they came along. Their leather skin protected them from the rest. Midna sighed, glad that she had put on a cloak earlier. It was proving useful in protecting her from the prickly thorns that occasionally scratched at her.

The trip ended up taking an hour and a half with the Messengers running as fast as they could. Midna was the first to see the outlines of buildings ahead. She turned around to inform the others, checking on their condition as well. Veiviser was still grinning like a mad man despite the burrs stuck in his disheveled hair and his cloak. Link had a weary smile on his face, his face slightly pale. She sighed, thanking the Goddess that they had arrived when they had.

The town was built by a trickling river. All the buildings were made of the same dark wood, harvested from the surrounding trees. Red runes had been drawn on the buildings' walls. Midna was starting to realize that all Celestrians adorned their structures with these runes. Most of the buildings were two-stories and had a garden in the back. Like the shops back in Lunaris, Midna noted that each larger building had a store on the bottom and living quarters on the top story. The buildings with one-story were built on the outskirts of the town and made up for the lack of inside space with large gardens and barns.

It was a simple town with no walls. The townsfolk rarely saw outsiders, only when the merchants gathered for an annual fair or when the lone traveler came by. They expected nothing else from the outside world. No armies marched their way and no soldiers came to recruit the citizens. Because of their seclusion, the town had come to depend on its inhabitants for most of its supplies and on merchants for anything they lacked.

"I've never seen this place before." Veiviser noted.

There was a group of 7 year-olds playing by the river. They stopped their water war to stare at the foreigners. Seeing that they carried no heavy packs and that one of them looked rather odd, they ran out of the water and towards the Messengers. A few townspeople had stopped in their daily business to observe these travelers as well.

Seeing the kids out of the corner of her eyes, Midna pulled Sleipnir to a stop. Perhaps these kids would know where Kamaria was. Link and Veiviser followed suit, both watching the kids as they formed a circle around the group.

The boy who appeared to be the leader of the group nudged one of the other boys. He whispered something in the boy's ear. The boy scowled at the leader, but ran off anyway. Midna bet that he was off to report these strangers to the head of the town.

Meanwhile, a girl walked up to Sleipnir. Her red eyes were open in fascination as she looked at the fancy garb that the strangers wore. She had never seen any outfit like Midna's, nor had she ever seen the official garb that Veiviser donned. These Messengers were obviously well-cared for and one could sense that two of them had ties to royalty.

"Lita! Don't get too close to them." The leader of the group called at the girl's back.

Lita ignored him, her eyes enraptured by the trio. She looked at Link's blonde hair and touched her own pale yellow hair. While her hair was closer to white, it was still blonde and Lita had never seen another with hair like that, other than her father. She was sure they existed away from the town, but her family was the only ones here who had that type of hair. To her shock, Link's face was pink and it held no rune markings.

"You're not one of us, are you?" Lita asked with the blunt curiosity of a little girl.

Veiviser grinned at the child, "I thought he was strange when I first saw him too."

Link shot a glare at Veiviser before replying to Lita, "Where I'm from, I'm normal. I'm a Hylian."

"High-lee-in." Lita sounded out the word before smiling sweetly, "I thought there were only Twili in the Twilight Realm."

Before any of them could explain, a voice shouted, "Children, back away from them! I'm sure they don't want to answer your questions at the moment." A groan echoed from the kids, but they all scattered. Lita shot a glance back at them, eyes focusing on Veiviser for a few moments, before she disappeared along with the other kids.

An elderly Twili approached the group. There was a large bald spot on his head and his remaining hair was a faded red. An honest smile fit with his hospitable eyes. His stomach protruded in a large mass, but there was easily viewable muscle on his arms. In a way, he reminded Link of Bo. Some homesickness swept over him, but it disappeared as the Twili spoke,

"Hello visitors. I hope the kids didn't give you too much trouble." A few teeth were missing from his mouth.

"No trouble at all." Midna responded.

"Good, good." He nodded his head a few times before asking, "What brings you here?"

Veiviser spoke up, "Where is here? And who are you?" Midna and Link both shot glances at Vei, silently berating him for being so impudent.

The man laughed heartily, "I see this one's still a kid himself. You are in the town of Honap. I am the town's one and only mayor, Mayor Labi."

"Hello Labi." The trio chorused before offering their names to him. The mayor greeted each of them and then returned to his first question.

"We're here to look for someone. Maybe you know her. Her name is Kamaria." Midna started. She wasn't sure what to expect from Labi, but a confused look on his face was not on her list of expectations.

"Kamaria?" Labi finally spoke. "I don't believe I've ever met anybody like that. The only time I heard the name was when some folks were muttering about Princess Kamaria, but that was years ago."

"There's no one here by that name?" Veiviser asked desperately. If he had not been seated on Eclipse, he would've lunged at the man's neck to give him a good shaking. "But we know she's somewhere in this town!" He shouted.

"Excuse our friend," Link shot Vei a warning glance.

"No worries. I know all about how kids are." Labi dismissed Veiviser's simmering attitude with a wave of his hand.

Midna was thinking. She was sure that Kamaria would not be so stupid as to keep her name while in a foreign town. She would've changed her name. It was likely that she had done a lot to change her appearance as well. Finding her would be tough, but not impossible as long as she stayed within the town's borders.

"Can we look around for her? She may be going by a different name now." Midna spoke cautiously. She wasn't sure how the mayor would react to this. Perhaps he would think that they were hunting for a criminal. She hoped that wasn't the case.

Labi did send them a strange look, but nodded his head. "Feel free to. Just don't barge into any houses without knocking first. Would you like some help?"

"I think we'll be fine on our own, but we'll call for you if we require it."

"What is he again?" Labi had lowered his voice and now he nodded towards Link. "I know I haven't seen a lot of the world, but I've never seen a fellow like him."

"He's not from around here." Veiviser answered cheerfully. "He's from-" Vei paused, noticing that Link was shaking his head slightly to warn him against saying anything about the Light Realm. "A different country in the Twilight Realm. They've got some odd people there, but Link's alright." Veiviser smiled innocently.

Labi nodded and walked off into the town. "Remember, don't disturb the locals." He threw the warning over his shoulder before disappearing out of sight.

"Why don't you want them to know you're from the Light Realm?" Veiviser whispered to Link.

"In case they happen to have anything against light dwellers. I don't want a scene." Link averted his eyes. The townspeople had walked off, shooting glances at the newcomers but not approaching them.

"I guess." Veiviser shrugged before jumping off of Eclipse's back. "Let's get started!"

"Wait." Veiviser halted at Midna's command. "We'll each search on our own for a while. In three hours, we'll meet back here for lunch. If you find her, just have the Messengers communicate to one another."

Veiviser and Link nodded. As Veiviser turned to leave, he was stopped by Link.

"Can you give me the pack?"

"Right." Veiviser didn't bother questioning him about it. He only handed it over and then ran off towards a building with Eclipse at his heels.

Link dug around in the pack before pulling out an herb. He chewed it at it, his face contorting at the bitter taste that flooded his mouth. This was downed with a gulp from their canteen to clear out the bitterness.

"Are you going to be okay?" Midna asked Link.

He nodded to her before adding, "Come on. We better start searching."

They set off in different directions. Midna walked up to a squat cottage covered in purple ivy. She wasn't sure what type of place the Princess would choose as her hiding spot. Closing her eyes, Midna tried searching for her magical signature but she couldn't get a better grasp on it. Sighing, Midna opened her eyes and knocked on the door.

A man with pale blonde hair tied into a ponytail opened the door. He peered at Midna with distrustful yellow eyes. His clothing consisted of a simple tunic patched up with a variety of different fabrics and leather boots. His face had hard features, but Midna could see a warmth hidden in his eyes.

When he spoke, his voice was deep and strong. "I don't wanta buy anything." He started off and Midna nearly laughed. He thought she was a merchant!

"I'm not here to sell anything." The distrust in the man's eyes deepened. "I'm looking for someone."

There was a moment of silence before he spoke gruffly, "Well, who is it?"

"Her name is Kamaria." Midna paused, realizing that Veiviser had never offered a good description of what the girl looked like. "She came here a few years ago. She's a young girl."

The man interrupted her, "I don't know any Kamaria and I don't know any girls who came here a long time ago." The man placed his fingers on the door, sending magic to start sliding the door down.

"Wait!" Midna created a block of magic beneath the door to hold it up. "She might be going by a different name now."

"The only people I know have been in this town for 10 years. Or they were born here. Now leave!" He pushed at the door, grunting at the effort of trying to slam it down.

"We need to find her. We know she's somewhere in this town." Midna began to explain. The door slammed shut, breaking the block of magic. She sighed.

A window opened and the head of a woman popped out. She had red hair tied in a bun and gleaming red eyes. "I'm sorry for my husband's behavior. He's just trying to work hard and he's not a big fan of strangers. We don't know this Kamaria, but I wish you luck in finding her. Good day." The window shut before Midna could get a word in.

_That's one house done. _Midna checked it off. It would've been nicer to have been able to actually search the house. He had acted odd, but it was possible that he was just busy and had no time for strangers.

Three hours passed quickly and Midna went back to the meeting place. Veiviser and Link were already there. They both wore faces of fatigue and disappointment. Veiviser perked up when he saw her, but his face fell upon registering the disappointment on her face.

"Nothing?" Link asked, receiving a nod from Midna. "It's okay… I'm sure we'll find her. She's definitely here in this town, right?"

"There's no way that the spell could have failed. Her magical signature is definitely coming from somewhere in this town. It's impossible for her to have crafted an illusion to fake the signature." Midna sat down beside Link.

"Maybe there's something left in the castle that has a more powerful signature on it." Veiviser said hopefully. He was leaning back against Eclipse who was currently devouring a small Kangaroc he had found fluttering about.

"Maybe." Midna agreed with Vei though her tone wasn't as hopeful as his. At least they knew she was here in this town. With luck, she wouldn't flee from her hiding spot. "We should probably start heading home now. You can search the castle and I can check out the library. Link can rest if he wants." She glanced over at Link.

"I don't want to, but I will." Link sighed unhappily before smiling, "That way I'll be ready for tomorrow."

"Well then, let's head out."

The ride back to Lunaris was quiet. It was good to know that the town where Kamaria hid was not too far from the city where they rested. Tomorrow would bring a better search. Maybe they would even find the princess or perhaps she would even come out to greet them. The latter was unlikely, but it wasn't impossible. Perhaps she would've heard about the chaos threatening most of Celestria and she would want to return to her old home. Life was never that easy, but Midna found herself wishing that it was for this one time.

If anyone had bothered to glance behind them, they would've seen the little girl Lita watching them. Her hands were clasped together and there was a small smile on her face. "Bye-bye," she waved her hand at them, not caring that they couldn't see.

"Don't come back. We don't want you." She muttered darkly.

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**A/N: This turned out longer than I expected. Originally I had thought that this chapter wouldn't be as long and I would have room to put in Midna's trip to the library as well as their solution to find Kamaria's exact location. However, I figured that it would take too long to do that. So I split it in half. Review and I shall do a funny dance! Okay, I lie… I won't dance, but it'll still be awesome for you to review!**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	9. Old Books

**Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! There's nothing more to say except enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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_"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary delay, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."  
-- Denis Waitley_

_**Chapter 8: Old Books**_

After dropping Link off at Veiviser's house, Midna and Vei headed towards the castle. They were greeted by one of the few vigilant guards left. He had hurried off to fetch Aleron, leaving the two of them outside to wait.

The castle loomed in front of them. It had a large stone wall around it, built to ensure the safety of the nobility if the outer walls should fall into enemy hands. Guard towers were spaced on the four corners of the castle as well as two towers on either side of the gates. There was another moat as well. The mahogany bridge was currently drawn up.

The castle itself was a large structure. It was made of black stone bricks. There were a total of 5 towers, each topped with a spiral. Most of the windows were large, allowing light to flood into the rooms. However, there were smaller windows as well. These windows were merely slits in the walls, meant to fire arrows through if the enemy breached the inner walls. As with all Celestrian buildings, there were red patterns moving on the walls.

The gate began to fall slowly. It landed on the ground with a thud. Aleron was on the other side, beckoning Midna and Veiviser over to him. Their Messengers loped over to Aleron.

"Dad!" Veiviser greeted his father cheerfully. The Twili stood still as his son hugged him. Veiviser backed away with a sigh. "We didn't find Kamaria."

Aleron's expression didn't change, but Midna could see that this news wasn't unbelievable to him. He had expected failure.

"I'm sure you'll find her sometime." Aleron patted his son's shoulder. "Now, I thought Midna was the one who wanted to see the library. What are you doing here, Veiviser? Don't tell me you have a sudden interest in books."

Veiviser shook his head roughly. "Nah, I still don't like reading. I'm here to search for a possession of Kamaria's, so we can track her down better. We found the town she's in, but it's proving tough to find her exact location."

Aleron shook his head. "The king got rid of everything owned by her."

"Maybe he missed a spot." Veiviser smiled. Eclipse nodded his head. "It wouldn't hurt to look."

"Very well. Just don't disturb anybody who's working." Veiviser took off, running across the trimmed lawn. "And if you find anyone sleeping, wake them up!" Aleron hollered after his son.

"Now then, let's get you to the library." Aleron motioned for Midna to follow him. He glanced at Sleipnir. "Twilight Messengers aren't allowed into the library."

"Sleipnir, stay out here." The Messenger growled unhappily. Midna shot him a glare, making the Messenger sit down on the ground. He watched Midna's back loyally.

"How have things been?" Midna asked. She was curious as to what was going on in the castle. Were things worsening since yesterday?

Aleron sighed. "Bad, as usual. One of the larger stores in the marketplace got broken into last night. We've been working on repairing the damage and finding the criminal, but it's proving hard. Not everyone wants to work and those who do are spread thin enough as it is."

"How long until everyone quits?"

"I don't know. Some of us are devoted to the kingdom, but others aren't pleased without payment. It's getting hard to buy food. Even those of us who wish to continue working won't be able to." Aleron shook his head sadly. "I'll have to desert the post in a week or two."

"Don't worry. We won't allow it to come to that." There was no change in Aleron's gloomy demeanor. Midna sighed before another idea came to her. "Why don't you and the other Twili just deal out payments? You don't need a king for that."

"That is impossible. The treasuries are locked up. The only ones who can go into them are those with special permission or those of royal blood."

Midna crossed her arms and shook her head disapprovingly. "The Celestrian monarchs didn't really think that they would die without heirs, did they?"

"It never dawned on them." Aleron agreed.

They had passed the gardens and now stood in front of two large doors. The emblem of Celestria was engraved on the doors in red. Other abstract designs decorated the rest of the door. The obsidian knobs were twisted with dragons twined around them.

Aleron threw the doors open, allowing Midna to walk into the Celestrian castle. It was a large foyer. Stairs sat at the end, branching off in two directions. Multiple hallways allowed access to the rest of the castle. Sconces in the walls held flickering flames which provided light to the room. Paintings covered the walls of past kings and queens. There was a statue of a Twili in a flowing cloak and a sword at his side. His red runes were glowing brightly. Rubies in his eyes sparkled and looked down upon those who entered.

Seeing Midna observing the statue, Aleron explained, "That's our founder, Jericho. He was a good king though he was known to have a wicked temper at times. Without him, Lunaris would not exist."

Midna nodded her head. She recalled Jericho from his history lessons. He had been the son of Gavin, the traitor. Jericho hadn't been as treacherous as his father, at least to Midna's knowledge. The king had maintained reasonably good relations with Lilith, the daughter of Devincha. However, there had always been tension between the two.

Jericho and Lilith had been the ones to create the amulet that Midna currently wore. She fingered the star-shaped amulet. If she had to, she would use it despite Devincha's warnings. Perhaps Jericho had not been as kind as he had appeared in history. Perhaps there was a curse on the amulet. Midna glanced down at it before noticing that Aleron was already moving into a side hallway.

The Twilight Princess hurried after Aleron. The hallway's walls were relatively bare other than the occasional torch and the red Twili patterns present in all architecture.

"What town do you believe the Princess to be in?" Aleron broke the silence that had settled over them.

"Honap. It's a secluded town-" Midna was cut off by a nod from Aleron.

"I know it. So you think she's hidden in Honap…" Aleron mused. "It's certainly quiet enough. Few ever travel there other than merchants. The king's men never go there unless it's a messenger to bring news of the outside world to them. On top of that, the townsfolk wouldn't know she was the Princess. It would be a strategic location to hide." Aleron nodded his head.

"Have you ever been there?" Midna asked hopefully.

"A few times when I was taking messages over to their mayor. I've never seen anybody who looked like the Princess while I was there, but I wasn't looking for her then."

"Do you have any ideas of where she could be hiding there?"

"No." Aleron shook his head. Midna hid his disappointment. "There's no place in that town that would make the very best location out of all the others. You'll have to stick with searching everywhere."

Silence lapsed over them once again until Aleron broke it with an announcement, "The library is through this door." He tapped the door, causing it to slide up. "I've got to attend to other business. If you need any help, ask Zeroun, the librarian." With that, Aleron disappeared.

Midna walked through the door into the library. Instantly the musty scent of aged books enveloped her. It was a large library with shelves that reached up to the ceiling. Books with a variety of bindings were stuffed into the shelves. A few simple wooden tables were scattered around the library. A fireplace surrounded by some comfy armchairs seemed to be the sole light other than the candelabras on each table and the glowing runes on the walls.

The size baffled Midna and she stood staring at the vast collection. If she tried doing anything by herself, it would take eons to find the correct book. Remembering Aleron's advice on seeking out the librarian, Midna called softly,

"Hello! Is Zeroun there?"

There was a crash as something hit the floor. Midna looked alarmed as a stream of curses echoed in the library. A few moments later, a fellow came out from behind one of the shelves. He was holding a large tome in his hands and Midna presumed that it was the object that had fallen.

Zeroun was an old Twili. He had white, wispy hair that flowed around his face. There were more wrinkles on his skin than there were on an elephant. His teal runes glowed softly, as if afraid to emit too much light. A pair of golden spectacles sat lopsided on his nose and he kept on pushing them up. Behind his spectacles there was a pair of shining orange eyes. Zeroun was dressed in black robes that looked a few sizes too big on his shrunken body.

"Yes, yes, I'm here." Zeroun's voice was friendly as he hobbled over to Midna. When he spoke, Midna noticed that many of his teeth were missing. He smiled as he saw Midna. "Hello young ma'am. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"

"I'm Midna." Midna smiled at Zeroun. He was likable enough. "I was wondering if you could help me find a book."

"Oh yes, I suppose I can help you find a book." Zeroun nodded his head. "Zeroun is at your service. What are you interested in? History? Botany? Or perhaps you'd prefer to read one of the epics written by an acclaimed author?"

"None of those." Midna shook her head. "I'd like to find some…"

"Aha!" Zeroun crowed in victory, interrupting Midna's request. Seeing a look of annoyance flash briefly on to her face, he raised his spindly hands up in apology, "I'm sorry. I just thought your name was awfully familiar and I just remembered who you were. You're the Twilight Princess, current ruler of our neighboring kingdom." He smiled, pleased with himself.

The smile was contagious and Midna couldn't help but smile back at the librarian. "That's right. But I'd much rather be called Midna. Now about my request…"

Once again, Midna was forced to stop as Zeroun muttered, "This is amazing. Never before have I had someone from your kingdom enter my blessed library. This is truly a sign that the world is changing for the better. As I'm sure you know the history between our two kingdoms has not always been peaceful and even when it was at peace, neither ruler allowed access to the library. The library is the source of a capital's knowledge and if a potential future enemy was allowed inside, there could be trouble. But now, you are allowed to step in here as any other Twili from my realm."

Midna tapped her foot impatiently against the ground as Zeroun rambled on. He coughed once before adding, "But I digress. Now what was your business here?"

Midna smiled; glad to finally be back to business. "I'm looking for ways to get to the Light Realm. The Mirror is shattered behind repair and I desperately need to get someone back there."

Midna didn't even have to ask Zeroun to find her a book before the old man tottered off. The Twilight Princess strolled after Zeroun. He wound his way through many shelves before coming to a halt beside a large shelf.

"Bring me a ladder." He commanded. Midna stared at him for a few seconds, amazed that he was ordering her around without a second thought. It brought a small smile to her face. Obviously Zeroun believed himself to be the boss of his library. Had he ordered around even the Celestrian rulers? "Are you still there? Didn't I ask for a ladder?"

Midna soon returned to Zeroun with a ladder. The old man took the ladder from her hands and positioned it against the shelf. He pulled himself up, stopping once to cough into his sleeve.

"Are you sure you don't just want me to go up there? You can just point out the correct book to me."

"Bah, I'm not that old." Zeroun waved his hand before sighing happily, "There we go. I believe this book could offer you some help."

Zeroun clambered back down, toting a heavy tome along with him. The cover was cracked black leather. There was no title, only a pentagram in the center. The pentagram was drawn in dark red ink, or possibly blood. The volume smelled ancient and from the layer of dust on it, Midna could see that no one had touched it for a long time.

"This is Crepusculum ut Elucido. It's very rare and this may possibly be the only one left." Zeroun smiled proudly. "The book's exact author is unknown. I believe there wasn't just one author, but many. The only thing they had in common was that they were all of the Blod-Demring."

Midna stared blankly at Zeroun. She had never heard the name of such a clan. Did it even exist anymore? She had a feeling that it was long-gone, this book one of their few artifacts.

Seeing her expression, Zeroun shook his head sadly, "The Blod-Demring dappled in many magics. In fact, because of their obsession with such magic, the other Twili ostracized them and banished them from their kingdoms. Apparently it was too much of a reminder of the magic our ancestors practiced while in the Light Realm. Speaking of the Light Realm, one of their many goals was to reach the Light Realm and they achieved it."

"Were they evil?" The question slipped out.

Zeroun sighed. "They did not attempt to conquer any worlds or kill anybody. All they seeked was knowledge. I believe that they wanted to continue experimenting with magic even if it was the reason the ancestors of the Twili were banished."

"What happened to them?"

Zeroun shrugged, "I don't know. No one does. Every member of the Blod-Demring was sentenced to death. However, a few of them may still exist. They might practice their magic in the hidden corners of this world. I would love to know what exactly happened to the clan, but they ceased to be in our history." He sighed. "If we had not hated them, perhaps our kingdom would be made better by their magic.

"Anyway, there should be a ritual somewhere in this book. While this is the original, there are translations written on spare papers. They should be a packet in the back of this book. However, I recommend that you look through the book anyway. They provide diagrams that could help explain things. I would like to know what you find. It's been a long time since I've looked at this book."

Midna accepted the heavy tome from Zeroun. Her mind was spinning with questions. Who exactly were the Blod-Demring? What had they done? Did any exist today? However, she would have to wait until later to find the answer to her questions. Right now, she had to focus her attention on finding the ritual to get Link back to the Light Realm.

Sitting down in one of the chairs around a table, Midna opened the book. She withdrew the packet of papers that would serve as her guide. Then she flipped open to the first page. The writing was done in the same red ink that had been on the cover. All the pages were yellowed with age, but fortunately the writing was dark. The only downside was that the language was completely foreign to Midna.

After staring at the script for a few moments, Midna looked at the translated papers. There was no table of contents, so Midna had to flip through the pages and skim for any promising titles. Finally the words, "Reise igjennom Virkelig- Travel through Realms" caught her eyes. It was a promising title and Midna decided to flip to it. The page numbers were in brackets and Midna began flipping eagerly through the tome.

When she had reached the appropriate page of the book, she whispered the title aloud, "Reise igjennom Virkelig." Her hand traced the large, bold letters. Traveling through realms, it certainly meant getting to the Light Realm.

There was a diagram on the page. Midna didn't bother looking at it for long. Instead she turned her attention towards the translation of the page. She began to read:

_Reise igjennom Virkelig- Travel through Realms _

_This ritual is meant to construct a portal between the Twilight Realm and the Light Realm or vice versa. Everything must be done perfectly, or the portal will fail. An important thing to note is that the portal shall only exist for 24 hours and then it shall close. A strong magic user is required to open the portal. _

_1. To begin with, the ritual must be done on an eclipse. The type of eclipse (solar or lunar) does not matter. This is vital as the magic between the realms is strongest during this time. As stated above, the portal shall stay open until 24 hours pass. _

Midna paused in reading. She stared at the page with a baffled expression. How was she supposed to know when there would be an eclipse in the Light Realm? There were no celestial bodies in the Twilight Realm that would help, so it was impossible to tell. She peered back at the notes where the translator had wrote something.

_Translator's Note: Consult the Astra Libri for exact dates on eclipses. The Blod-Demring were very accurate in their predictions. _

_2. Next you must choose a place of magic. A sacred shrine will work well. If in the Light Realm, the use of one of the sacred springs or the Mirror Chamber is recommended. As for the Twilight Realm, there are many sacred spots that can work well. If needed, look at the map located in the back to find these spots. _

_3. Once at your location, draw a pentacle similar to the one pictured below (T/N: flip to page in real book for illustration). The pentacle must be large enough, so that you can fit in the center of it. The pentacle is to be drawn in salt only. _

_4. Put a stone tablet (preferably obsidian, but other stones are fine if there is no obsidian) in front of the pentacle. It must be able to stand on its own, or have something supporting it. Mark this tablet with the symbol illustrated below. This is to be done in blood (it can be from any creature). _

_5. As the eclipse starts, you must mutter the following incantation while visualizing the spot you wish to have the portal open to (if no specific location, the portal shall form in the Mirror Chamber of the Gerudo Desert): _

_A skummringen_

_A dagrenningen_

_Vi far se reise_

_A mᴓrke _

_A sol. _

_6. This will summon up powerful magic from within. The tablet will transform into a portal that will allow you access to the Light Realm or the Twilight Realm. It does not matter what size the tablet is as the portal shall be large enough for you to fit into. _

_7. Make sure to return to the realm you wish to stay in before 24 hours are up. Once the day passes, the portal shall close and you will have to wait for the next eclipse before opening up another portal. _

Midna stared at the page for a few moments before looking over at the illustrations. The pentacle was similar to the pentagram on the cover. It had the five-pointed star though it was inside a circle rather than a pentagon like the one on the cover. Another difference was that in the center of this pentacle there was another five-pointed star drawn in the center. It would take a lot of salt to create a large enough pentacle.

She then looked at the other symbol, the one that belonged on the tablet. It was remarkably similar to the Triforce except for a few key differences. For one, the symbol was drawn upside-down so that the single point was pointing down. There was a leering skull in the center of the Triforce.

"Certainly looks pleasant." Midna murmured aloud.

"What have you found?" Zeroun's voice boomed from the labyrinth of shelves. He came out a few seconds later. "Is it helping?"

Midna sighed. "I'm not sure if it'll help yet, but it's… interesting. The ritual to get into the Light Realm is called the Reise igjennom Virkelig." She stumbled over the foreign title before looking up at Zeroun.

"Ah, how interesting." The librarian bobbed his head in agreement.

"Do you have the Astra Libri?" Midna asked, recalling the title of the book. Hopefully there would be an eclipse soon.

"The Astra Libri! Wait right here." Zeroun hurried off. He soon returned with a white leather book. There was a crescent moon on the cover.

"This is the Astra Libri." Zeroun handed the book over. "It's a much more common book than Crepusculum ut Elucido. Many copies of this book have been made and translated. You see, this book is a compilation of all the observations of the cosmos that the Blod-Demring made. It's got star charts, predictions of various events, and even some legends about them. One of those legends is about a moon falling from the sky in a kingdom in the Light Realm. Isn't that ridiculous?" Zeroun chuckled.

"Nonetheless, some of the legends are rather far-strung. However, the information in the book is solid. You'll find it a wonderful read. May I entreat as to your purpose of perusing this book?" Zeroun smiled widely at Midna.

"I'm looking for the date of the next eclipse. It's the only time the Reise igjennom Virkelig can be performed." Midna was already flipping through the pages of the book. The paper was not as yellowed as it had been in Crepusculum ut Elucido and the script was written in the modern language.

"And may I ask why you wish to travel to the Light Realm?" Zeroun sat down in the chair across from Midna. "I hope I am not prying into any private business of yours."

Midna debated on whether or not to tell the man. He seemed trustworthy enough and he had helped her out a lot already. Telling him could not lead to harm especially since he practically lived in the library.

"I have a friend who has Viduata Solis." For once, Zeroun's face was clouded with confusion. Midna explained, "It's a disease that occurs from lack of sun. He's a light dweller and we have less than a week before the disease kills him."

Zeroun nodded his head sagely. "Then I wish you luck in your quest." The Twili stood up and said, "I'm going to get some food. Please do tell me how things turn out."

"I will. Thank you for showing me these books."

"It was my pleasure." Zeroun strode out of the room.

Midna watched his retreating back before peering back down at the page. She had finally flipped open to a chart of predicted eclipses. A few pages later she came across the date for the next eclipse. It was in three months.

--

"Well this has been a complete waste of time." Veiviser leaned against the stone wall of a hallway. "Galathron really did throw all of Kamy's belongings out." His head fell.

Eclipse gave the boy a reassuring nudge. Vei grinned at Eclipse.

"You think we'll find her anyway." The Messenger nodded. "That's the spirit! Just because we don't have any items to pinpoint her exact location, we can still find her! We don't need any more magic to help us find Kamy!" Veiviser's triumphant voice echoed across the walls.

His ears fell as he frowned. "But what if she's hidden so well that we can't find her? We'll fail and it's all because Galathron threw out all her possessions."

"Don't be so downhearted."

Veiviser looked up in surprise. There was an elderly man hobbling over to him. Vei thought the man looked familiar, but he wasn't sure. Chewing his lip, Veiviser looked at the man.

"Who are you again?" He finally asked.

"And they say I'm forgetful." The man huffed before adding, "I am Zeroun, the librarian."

Veiviser grinned and nodded his head. "I remember you! You threw Kamaria and me out of the library once because we were disturbing the other scholars. But you did give us some candy afterwards."

Zeroun agreed before saying, "Now explain what you were looking for."

Veiviser quickly explained the search for Kamaria to Zeroun. He then added, "But I can't find anything that can help us track her down any further. We're stuck at a dead-end." He frowned.

"Now that is where you are wrong!" Zeroun crowed cheerfully. "Galathron did not eliminate all of the Princess' possessions."

"He didn't?" Veiviser cocked his head. "What else is left?"

"I'll let you find it on your own." Zeroun winked. He added before Veiviser could complain, "I'll give you a tip. It's in one of the deepest cells in the dungeon. You can't miss it."

"Thanks Gramps!" Veiviser grinned. He gave Zeroun's hand a big shake before running off. "Come on Eclipse! Let's find it."

Zeroun chuckled as he watched Veiviser walk off. "Kids." He shook his head and continued off towards the kitchen to retrieve a calming cup of tea and a sandwich.

Meanwhile, Veiviser was running down the stairs of the dungeon. Eclipse ran beside him. Near the bottom of the steps, Veiviser slipped on a puddle. He crashed down the remaining steps and landed in a pile at the bottom.

"What are you doing here, kid?" There was a guard sitting in a chair. He had been leaning back, but the legs of his chairs had come crashing down upon the sight of Veiviser. "This is a restricted area."

"There's something of Kamaria's here that I need to get." Veiviser smiled hopefully as he stood up.

The guard's eyes narrowed before he shrugged. "What the hell. There are no more prisoners in here other than that raving mad Messenger. Go ahead."

"Thank you." Veiviser was about to run through the door that led to the cells before pausing. "What Messenger?" He asked, head tilting in curiosity.

"Arion. He went crazy after Kamaria disappeared. Rather than killing the beast, Galathron threw him away into the dungeon with orders to keep him alive." The guard shrugged. "If it was up to me, the beast would be dead by now."

Arion… Veiviser glanced over at Eclipse and nodded his head. He remembered Arion. Kamaria and Vei had often raced each other on their growing Messengers. After she disappeared, Veiviser had always assumed that Arion had either ran away or been killed. The idea that he was still alive excited the boy.

"Thanks." Veiviser waved to the guard before hurrying off into the dungeon.

It was very dark since the only light other than the runes was a single torch that Veiviser had been given by the guard. The stench was horrendous and Veiviser instantly wrinkled his nose in disgust. Puddles of fetid liquids stood stagnant in the cells. Hurrying across Veiviser finally paused at a cell.

There was a gleam of red from the back of the cage before a creature hurled itself against the bars. The mask on this Messenger had a long, thin crack across it. Its mane had tattered edges that groped at the air. To be frank, the Messenger stank and its red runes could barely be seen underneath the dirt that coated him.

"Arion. Long time no see, buddy." Veiviser attempted a weak grin.

The slavering Messenger unnerved him a bit. It was a lot different than the playful Arion from the past. For one, that Arion had been smaller. He had been a nervous Messenger who only played with those he knew. When strangers came, he would duck behind Eclipse or Kamaria. This large Messenger was clearly unhinged as it growled at Veiviser.

"Do you remember me?" Veiviser begged the creature. Eclipse barked a greeting to his old friend.

Arion sat down. His head moved, looking first at Veiviser and then at Eclipse. One of the tentacles that formed his mane trailed out through the bars. It hung tentatively in the air. Veiviser smiled and nodded at Eclipse who extended his own tentacle. The two Messengers sat like this for a few moments.

Veiviser waited as long as he could before asking, "Arion, we need your help." The Messenger looked over. "We need to find Kamaria." A growl rose up from the throat of the Messenger. "You probably think we're going to do something bad to her, don't you?"

Arion nodded his head. That was exactly why the Messenger had never allowed anyone to use him as a tracking beast.

"Galathron is dead. There's no one here that can harm her. The only reason I want to find her is that we need her. The kingdom needs her to restore order. Celestria is falling into chaos." Tears glimmered in Veiviser's eyes. "And I miss her. I want to see my friend again, but to do that, I need your help. What do you say?"

---

**A/N: End of chapter! I don't think it's that bad a spot to leave off. Don't think too much about the Blod-Demring. Anyway, the next chapter will have a bit more action in it. Reviews are appreciated as always! I shall treat you with baked Alaska (an awesome desert, look it up on Google) if you review xD **

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_**


	10. I Said No

**Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! I would've updated a bit sooner, but I went back to add another part to this chapter. In the end, this turned out to be my longest chapter ever! Enjoy the action!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"Even when we know what is right, too often we fail to act. More often we grab greedily for the day, letting tomorrow bring what it will, putting off the unpleasant and unpopular."  
_-- Bernard M. Baruch_

_**Chapter 9: I Said No!**_

"So this is the Arion you were telling us about over dinner?" Link stepped closer to the Messenger. Arion growled at the Hylian, causing him to take a step back. "He's not very friendly."

Veiviser grinned wildly, "It's not Arion's fault. He's not very trusting anymore. But he agreed to help us, which is the important part."

Arion nodded his head in affirmation. He sat down, observing the three Messengers and their riders carefully. To him, he was simply doing this because he wanted to see Kamaria again. If she didn't want to go back to the castle, he would fight to make sure that she stayed where she was. If she wanted to come home, he would gladly give her a ride. These others were just a means to get to her.

Midna looked at the newest member to their group. She didn't like the feral way the Messenger acted, but she couldn't argue that this was probably their best chance at finding the princess. Ever since her hopes for another way to get to the Light Realm had failed, Midna knew that the only way would be to use the amulet with Kamaria. Finding her was more essential than ever.

"Well, let's get going." Midna announced.

Soon the town on Honap drifted into view. The same group of kids who had been playing in the river the day before were passing a ball back and forth. They looked up and stared at the group in wonder. There were four Messengers now, but only three riders. What did that mean? The kids began whispering to one another.

Only one girl stood apart from her friends. Her red eyes narrowed as she saw the riders. She stayed like that for a few moments before rearranging her expression to a more neutral one. With a small smile, she walked up to the group.

"Hey Lita, where are you going?" The oldest boy shouted at her back, but she ignored him. He sighed, rolled his eyes, and then went back to gossiping with the other kids.

"Why did you come back?" Lita asked innocently as she neared the group.

"We didn't find what we were looking for yesterday, but we think we can find her today." Midna answered.

Veiviser nodded his head eagerly. "I can't wait to see her. Hopefully she still remembers me."

"No one can forget your large ears." Link joked, earning a scowl in his direction.

"Why do you think you'll find her today?" Lita asked. Her hands gripped the hem of her shirt as she stared up at them.

"We have help. Now if you don't mind, we'll be going." Midna maneuvered Sleipnir around Lita towards the town gates.

Lita watched their backs with a look of hatred painted on to her face. As Arion glanced back at her, she quickly smiled, hiding away all traces of her anger. The Messenger gave her a questioning glance before turning his head back towards Honap.

"So Arion, can you smell her?" Veiviser asked Arion.

The Messenger sniffed at the air. It was a mixture of many scents, but he could detect the distinct smell of his old rider. It didn't matter that he had not smelled it for a long time. Ever since his birth, he had felt a connection towards the princess. Arion loped off towards a squat home covered in ivy.

"I visited that place yesterday." Midna spoke, recognizing the building almost instantly. "The only people I saw were a grumpy old guy and his wife."

"Maybe she's hiding there." Veiviser said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter anyway. We're going to see Kamy! Yay!" Some startled citizens gave the yelling boy rude glances before turning back to their usual business.

The trio followed Arion, leaving their own Messengers situated by the town's gates. As they neared the house, Midna wondered why she hadn't realized how suspicious the man's behavior had been. The wife must have been covering it up by pretending his attitude was regular. Or maybe he was suspicious of outsiders because he was housing the exiled princess. Well, they would find out all about that.

"Is she inside?" Veiviser asked as they came to a stop in front of the door. Arion nodded.

Instantly Veiviser hammered a fist on the door. There was a loud groan from inside and then heavy footsteps. The door slid open to reveal the pale blonde Twili from before. He scowled as he recognized Midna.

"What are you doing back here? I told you I ain't harboring anybody, but my own family." He tapped the door, so that it began to slide down.

"No!" Veiviser slid down to the ground, quickly sliding himself between the door and the ground.

"Stop doing that!" The man kicked at Veiviser. Meanwhile, he stopped the door's progress down, so that it would not crush the boy lying there. "Are you an idiot? I said we don't have any strangers here. Now quit it." He gave Veiviser another kick.

The large-eared boy scowled. "Hey, no need to beat me up. I'm not doing any harm."

The man was about to reply, but Midna beat him to the punch. "We know Kamaria's in there. Now please allow us to fetch her. The kingdom is falling into disarray and we need her."

"I told you I don't know of any missing princesses." The man growled at Veiviser and attempted to shove him aside. Veiviser clung to the bottom of the door with an air of determination around him. "Now get out before I call the mayor on you for attempting to break into my house."

"But we really do know Kamaria's in here. Arion, her old Messenger, smelled her in here." Link explained.

"I don't care what anyone thinks. I'm not harboring any fugitives and you have no right to search my house anyway."

"But we really do-" Veiviser began to complain when the voice of a young girl stopped them.

"Daddy, just let them in."

"But Aysel, they're…" The man's voice trailed off as he mouthed words to the girl.

Arion had perked up at the sound of her voice. He began pawing anxiously at the door, whining softly. Veiviser had his head cocked. The voice was a familiar one, but he needed to be sure.

"Let them in, Orson." The voice spoke again except this time it held a commanding edge to it.

Orson grumbled, but raised the door up. Instantly Arion ran past him and tackled the girl. Midna came in slowly, carefully stepping over Veiviser. Link paused to help the boy up before continuing inside. The door slid shut behind them.

"Stop it Arion." The girl laughed, pushing the Messenger off her. She stood up and dusted off her simple dress.

The girl wasn't very tall, but she wasn't too short either. Her crimson hair was choppy and ended right below her ear lobes. Purple eyes stared intently at the newcomers. Her skin was covered in red, intricate designs. Despite her simple dress, she held the pose of a noble. On closer examination, her black and white skin had a light covering of dirt, probably from work done around the house.

"Kamy! It's really you!" Veiviser launched himself across the short hallway with his arms outstretched. Tears of joy flew from his bright eyes. "I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."

His arms encircled the girl for a few seconds before she wriggled away from him. Her purple eyes shined with happiness at the sight of her old friend, but her face was carefully composed into a small frown.

Kamaria shook her head. "I don't go by that name anymore." Veiviser gave the girl a questioning look. "Like Orson said, I go by Aysel now."

"Aysel?" Veiviser considered it for a few moments before shaking his head. "You're still Kamaria to me. We're going to take you back home."

Her eyes flashed in irritation. "This is my home now."

"I thought I heard more voices. What is going on here?" A female voice, the same that had apologized for Orson's behavior the day before, came through the walls. A few seconds later, the woman had walked into the hallway, her red eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the strangers.

Orson walked over to his wife and looked at the group. "I suppose we should all sit down and talk about this and what exactly you want with my daughter." He huffed grudgingly.

"Daughter? But you're not from here." Veiviser cocked his head in confusion. "You're from Lunaris."

"I'll explain." Kamaria said with a sigh. She quietly muttered, "Why did you have to come?"

Midna glanced at Link. So this was the Princess Kamaria she had heard so much about. Perhaps after they told the story of what was going on in Lunaris, she would agree to come. However, from the looks of things, she appeared to be quite the brat at the moment.

The trio and Arion were guided into the living room. A large window allowed light into the room. A stuffed sofa and a few armchairs surrounded a very simple coffee table. There were a variety of patches on the chairs, indicating that they were well-worn. Unlike Veiviser's crowded walls, the walls were unadorned except for a few paintings on the wall.

Midna, Link, and Veiviser took the sofa while Kamaria sat down heavily in an armchair across from them. Arion sat by her side, his head resting against her feet. Orson and his wife sat in armchairs too.

"Can someone please explain what you are doing in our house and who exactly you are?" The wife spoke up.

"I'm Veiviser, Kamy's childhood friend." Veiviser began speaking rapidly, "We're here to get Kamaria back home because Galathron is dead and there's no one around. We need a leader and Kamy's the only one who can fit the position. That's why we need her back. Oh, and that's Midna and Link." He gestured at the other two occupying the sofa before staring at Kamaria. "So what do you say?"

"I can't go back." Kamaria tilted her head away, so she wouldn't have to look at Veiviser's expression.

"What?! Why not?" Veiviser whined. "The kingdom needs you. And I need you back."

"I swore I would never come back. I'm not even supposed to be in this kingdom, but when Orson found me, I couldn't leave this place." Kamaria smiled at Orson and his wife. "Orson and Livia took me in when I needed it. I can't leave them."

"Then we can take them with us!" Veiviser grinned. He looked over at Kamaria's 'parents'. "You two would love the castle. You'll never have to work a day in your life and you can get pampered to the extreme."

"I like my house and my work." Orson said with a shake of his head. "Whatever happens, I'm not going to Lunaris. I'll stay and die here in Honap, just like my grandparents."

"Kamaria, can you please tell us why you refuse to come with us? In fact, why don't you just tell the story of what happened after you ran away from the castle?" Midna asked before Veiviser could take a chance to speak. Veiviser's outbursts were not helping convince anyone, so Midna had decided it was her duty to take a more logical standpoint on the matter.

"Very well." Kamaria nodded her head. "But please call me Aysel here. I don't want anyone else knowing that I'm the princess."

"But you are the princess, Kamy." Veiviser pressed.

"Do you want the story or not?" Kamaria scowled at him, causing the boy to sigh and nod his head in agreement.

"Alright, _Aysel _tell us the story."

"After I ran away, I began traveling through the forest. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful in living off the forest. Eventually I ended up collapsing and that's when Orson found me. When I woke up, I was here. At first I wanted to leave, but Orson and Livia didn't let me. They wanted to know what a child like me was doing out in the wilderness.

"I told them the truth of what had happened, hoping that it would convince them to let me leave. But I guess they didn't want the guilt of allowing a girl to wander the woods alone." Kamaria smiled at her adoptive parents. "They took me in and took care of me. I'll never forget that."

Veiviser interrupted. "That's great. In fact, I appreciate that they took such good care of my friend. But don't you want to go back?"

Kamaria shook her head. "I like it here. I swore I would never return and I won't. This place is my home. I can't just leave everything behind." She looked down at her hands. "I love the family I have here."

"But you have to come back!" Veiviser turned his head to look for help from his two friends. "Right?"

"She only has to if she cares for her kingdom." Kamaria's eyes narrowed as Midna spoke, "The streets of Lunaris are becoming more dangerous. There's no one capable left to organize anything and crime rate has been soaring. They need a leader and you're the only one they would accept. Of course, if you don't care about what happens to the kingdom, then you can just ignore them. However, if you have any shred of duty within you, you would return and take your rightful place as the queen of Celestria."

Link regarded Midna with awe, muttering, "Who knew you could make such a good speech?" She ignored Link's comment, choosing to stare directly at a fidgeting Kamaria.

"I'm only 12. I don't want to rule. I just want to live life." Kamaria choked out. "There has to be someone smart enough to lead a kingdom there. I can't be the only one."

Orson added, "Surely if things are so bad, you can just integrate Celestria in with your kingdom, Twilight Princess."

Midna shook her head whilst Veiviser laughed loudly. "Ha! You actually think the Celestrians would want a foreign leader. We're too proud to ask a foreigner to rule us."

"I know you may not want to, but it's your responsibility. Trust me, sometimes I want to run off and do whatever I want." Midna cast a glance towards Link. "But I don't because my kingdom comes first. It is that way with all good rulers."

Kamaria let out a long breath, her eyes still boring holes into her hands. "I…" Her speech was cut off by the slamming of a door.

"Nooooooo!" A long wail was soon followed by a small, blonde girl slamming into Kamaria. "You can't leave!" Red eyes turned around to glare at Vei, Link, and Midna. "You can't take my sister away from me!" She shouted hotly at them.

"Sister? You have a sister now?!" Veiviser stared incredulously at the girl.

"You're Lita, aren't you?" Link asked, recalling the questioning girl from earlier.

The girl nodded at Link. "That's right. And you can't take my sister away." She hugged Kamaria closer to her.

Kamaria smiled down at the girl, patting her soothingly on the back. "I'm not going to leave."

A smile pulled over Lita's face. At the same time, Veiviser jumped up and complained, "What?!"

"You heard me. I can't leave." Kamaria cast a glance towards her adoptive parents and then down at Lita. "This is the best family I've ever had… I can't abandon them for a kingdom that cast me out."

Lita stuck her tongue out at Veiviser. The boy scowled at the smaller girl.

"Your responsibility to your kingdom comes first, Kamaria. You must return. Just because you take on the position of queen, doesn't mean that you can never see Honap again. You can come back and visit." Midna spoke, her voice tinged with anger. Why couldn't this girl see that she was needed?

"I don't care." Kamaria glared at Midna. "An exile never returns. I have a new responsibility here on this farm. I still need to teach Lita how to do certain things. To me, this family has become more important. I love them."

The next words out of Midna's mouth hurt her. "Sometimes a leader must put their kingdom before their own feelings" The words were far too close to the reason why she had shattered the mirror in the first place and they reminded her painfully of the days without Link. It was hard, but it was necessary.

"Maybe you can do that, but I can't. I can't come back to a kingdom and a capital city that has no need for me. They can find another way to secure themselves. There are plenty of adults who can handle this."

"You're being immature." Midna shouted. "The treasury will not open without royal blood! How do you propose the guards get their pay?"

Kamaria shrugged indifferently. "Blast open the doors."

"But Kamy, don't you care about us. The Kamaria I knew would never turn her back on those in need. She would fight for them even if it sacrificed her own happiness." Veiviser begged. Tears were streaming down the Twili's face.

"That Kamaria is long-gone. The only ones I care about are my family and the others in Honap." Kamaria stood up and turned her head away. Lita tumbled down to the ground and stared up at her 'sister'.

"Don't you want to reconsider?" Link piped up.

"No." Kamaria shook her head. "Now leave and never come back. I've told you everything I wish to say." Arion whined softly. Kamaria looked down upon the Messenger. "You can stay if you wish, Arion."

The Messenger nodded his head eagerly before growling at Veiviser who had tried stepping closer to Kamaria.

"Please… Kamy, don't be like this." Vei begged, his tone becoming more desperate with every passing second.

"Just leave, Vei." Kamaria said softly. She walked stiffly off. Veiviser reached out for her, only to be stopped by a growling Messenger.

Lita smiled widely and stuck out her tongue at the trio. "Don't come back. Ever." She added for emphasis before happily skipping after Kamaria.

"You better leave." Orson said with a heavy sigh. "I wish you luck in finding someone else." He opened the door for them, making a shooing motion with his hands.

"This isn't the end!" Veiviser shouted. "I'll drag you all the way to Lunaris myself! Do you hear that, Kamaria?"

"Scram!" Orson grabbed the boy by the collar and tossed him out of the house. He looked at Midna and Link. "Am I going to have to do the same to you two?" They shook their hands and left the house on their own feet. The door slammed shut.

"That was a huge failure." Link sighed, his head falling.

"Kamaria was a lot different than I imagined her to be." Midna added.

The Kamaria from Vei's stories had sounded caring and selfless. The Kamaria, or Aysel as she preferred being called, didn't care about the kingdom. She was an immature brat unfit to rule a kingdom. But Celestria desperately needed someone to take the crown and bring everything under control. What could they do?

"She wasn't always like that." Veiviser shook his head sadly as he picked himself off the ground. "I just wish she was the Kamy I knew."

"Psst…" A window opened and Livia's head popped out. She gestured for them to come closer.

"What do you want?" Veiviser asked grouchily.

"I want to offer help. I can't guarantee anything, but I might be able to convince Ay- I mean Kamaria to return." Livia whispered.

"Why would you do that?" Midna asked, pressing a hand on Vei's shoulder before he could jump up and down in excitement.

Livia's lips pressed together grimly. "Lita and Orson are both narrow-minded, but what can you expect from people who have never left the village? I was born in a merchant's caravan, so I know a bit more about the outside world." She added, after seeing a cloud of confusion upon their faces.

"So?" Veiviser asked, crossing his arms.

"Lita does not remember a time without Kamaria while Orson loves her too much to release her. I love her too, but he cannot see the bigger picture. I have seen the chaos that can engulf a village without a leader. The chaos that would spread over Celestria is far worse." Livia shook her head sadly. "The land would not be peaceful anywhere and the chaos would even touch Honap. It is likely that ambitious Twili will start constructing armies to fight for the crown and they may seek recruits in our villages. I do not want that to happen, so I will help you."

"Thank you." Midna smiled at Livia. "We appreciate anything you can do to help."

There was a yell from somewhere inside the house. Livia glanced behind her and began to close the window. "I better go. Good-bye." The window closed.

"I don't understand… Why was Kamy acting like that?" Veiviser muttered, staring at the ground. He kicked at a pebble.

"People change, Vei." Link replied with a sigh. Seeing Veiviser's face fall even more, he added, "Maybe Livia will change her mind and she'll be back to her old self then?"

"You really think so?" Veiviser's yellow eyes gleamed with hope. Link nodded his head.

"This isn't the end of things." Midna said with a shake of her head. "Now let's head home before Link topples over in exhaustion."

"I'm not that tired!" Link complained. It was partly true, partly not. He did feel a bit tired and his footsteps were beginning to drag.

--

They were approaching Lunaris at what Midna considered to be a good pace. Already they could see the large city in the field. She glanced at Link who was leaning forward on Macha. His face was a deathly pale that terrified Midna when she saw it.

"We're almost home." She called to him, in case he hadn't bothered to look up at the approaching city.

Link glanced up before nodding his head. "I hope Naeva's got a good meal ready for us."

Midna opened her mouth to agree when an arrow whistled by her ear, drawing some blood from the tip. Instead of complimenting Naeva's culinary skills, she warned, "Attack!"

Five figures on Messengers circled the trio. The Twili wore light armor, obviously meant for chasing and ambushing their prey rather than heavy combat. Their faces were unidentifiable behind black masks. One of the Twili held a bow while the others each proceeded to drawing cutlasses.

As they were surrounded, the three Messengers backed up, forming a miniature circle of their own for defensive purposes. Sleipnir growled at the other Messengers, his mane raised up in a threatening position. Macha and Eclipse took similar poses.

"What are you doing this for?" Midna asked. She drew the Twi Blade from its scabbard on her back. Despite the fact that this was supposed to be a peaceful mission, Midna had been unable to leave the sword behind in her room.

None of the assassins answered. Instead they silently approached, the one with the bow ditching the weapon for an exact replica of the other cutlasses.

"Sweet!" Veiviser had not said anything for a long time, but now his ears perked up in excitement. "I get to show you my mad battle skills." His club materialized in his hand.

"A club is supposed to kill? I thought you had to be strong to wield one with enough power to kill people." Link asked as he drew the Master Sword.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Veiviser sent a small pulse of magic through his club. Instantly iron spikes burst from the surface of the club. He swished the club through the air.

"Never mind. I should learn that Twili weapons are never simple." Link sighed, turning his attention towards two of the assassins.

"Leave one alive for interrogation." Midna murmured before tapping Sleipnir.

Sleipnir charged towards one of the Messengers with a snarl. The assassin pulled a secret knife from his belt and launched it towards Midna. Sleipnir's reflexes were quick as his tentacles reached up and swatted the knife away. Black blood spluttered out from the tentacle where the knife had left a cut. Sleipnir howled in pain, but ignored it.

By now, Sleipnir was right next to the assassin. Midna swung the Twi Blade in an arc, cutting through the thin chainmail that the assassin wore. Blood squirted out, splashing across Midna and Sleipnir. She would have to clean herself up later.

Link was having a tougher time in his battle against the two assassins he had chosen to target. If he was in full condition, these two would be dead right now. However, it was not so simple. His head was starting to throb terribly and his vision was fuzzy.

Macha noticed her rider's disability and had wrapped a tentacle around his wrist to protect himself further. The ferocity of her charge surprised one of the Messengers, lending Link the time to stab the Master Sword into the assassin's chest. Link withdrew his sword, sending blood backwards. Fortunately, Macha's momentum had been enough to drive the sword through the Twili's chest (making the kill easier). However, the fight was quickly taking a toll on Link.

The other assassin had not even paused to glance at his dead companion. Instead he rode at Link, raising his cutlass to swipe the Hylian's head off. Link's ears twitched in alarm, and he let himself drop off of Macha. The blade passed harmlessly overhead. While he had avoided being cut up, the fall had stunned Link. He lay on the ground, breathing heavily and fighting back the growing urge to faint.

Meanwhile, Veiviser was grappling with another assassin. Eclipse was dancing back and forth, dodging any swipe the assassin made at Vei. A knife left the assassin's hand, slicing Veiviser's arm. The boy let out a yelp and scowled.

"You did not just do that! Do you know what I do to people who slice my arm?!" The assassin did not answer the rhetorical question. "Maneuver Omega 6!" He shouted, causing Eclipse to glance briefly in confusion at Veiviser.

Veiviser did not see the confusion as he was too busy leaping off of Eclipse's back to barrel into a surprised assassin. The two fell to the ground, Veiviser bringing his spiked club down on to the mask of the assassin. The mask cracked under the force. Veiviser pulled back as the struggling body went limp. A bloodied face stared back lifelessly.

Midna had turned to face yet another assassin. Admiring the obsidian blade as it glimmered in the twilight, Midna sent a wave of magic coursing through the Twi Blade. This magic welled up and enveloped the assassin. He let out a quiet gasp before toppling over as Veiviser brought his club down from behind. The two smiled at each other briefly before wheeling around.

"Link!" Midna shouted along with Vei.

The Hylian never heard the words. They were drowned out by the wind rushing through his ears as he lost consciousness. The remaining assassin jumped off his Messenger, leaving it to distract Macha.

"Oh no you don't." Midna growled at the assassin.

She surrounded the assassin in magic, sending a very powerful blast of it at his knees. The assassin kneeled in pain, panting softly. Midna rushed over to the assassin. As she ran, the assassin lifted a hand and sent a knife in her direction. Midna's reflexes were fast, but not fast enough to completely avoid the dagger. It glanced off her shoulder, paining her but not doing any lethal damage.

"Who sent you?" Midna snarled as she reached the assassin. Her magic had constructed a giant hand, which had wrapped tightly around the assassin.

She tugged off his mask, revealing a bald Twili with teal markings. Orange eyes stared at her with a mixture of fear and defiance. Despite the fact that he was now unmasked, he did not reply to Midna's question.

"Who sent you?" She shook the Twili, causing more fear to enter his eyes.

The assassin shook his head. He blubbered out. "I don't know."

"Describe them." Midna commanded. "Or else."

The assassin opened his mouth to speak when his face suddenly contorted in pain. He began to scream as his skin turned a crimson shade. A second later, as they stared in confusion and shock, he exploded. Blood splattered on Midna. From the groans coming from her side, Veiviser had similarly been drenched. Bits of flesh that had not been consumed in the magical explosion lay around the field.

"Who would have done something so wicked?" Veiviser asked softly, staring at the blood spot where the assassin had once stood.

Midna shook her head slightly. She didn't know who would do such a thing. It was sadistic and cruel, but it was also a safety net to keep information from reaching the enemy. The only thing Midna was sure of was that someone very dangerous was after them.

--

There was an incessant knocking on the door. Orson scowled. Dinner had finished an hour ago and he had been engrossed in a whittling project. If whoever was knocking turned out to be a stranger, Orson was going to shut the door. Already, one group of strangers had bothered him and he had no desires to deal with anymore.

"Yes?" Orson inquired, glaring through the small peephole he had opened in the door. Seeing an unfamiliar figure entirely in black, the scowl deepened. "What do you want?"

"I want to show you my wares." The figure's voice was a light hiss.

Orson did not trust it for many reasons. One was that the figure's face was entirely cloaked, so reading their emotion was impossible. Second, the voice did not reveal the gender, which aroused Orson's suspicion. Third, his gut was telling him to slam the peephole shut.

"Go away! I don't want anything!" Orson growled, slamming the peephole. He turned his back and walked down the hallway, intent on returning to the wooden Kangaroc he was carving for his daughter.

There was a sudden blast, sending Orson to the ground. The Twili was pinned to the ground by the stone fragments that had once been his door. He coughed and watched as the dust settled to the ground.

The shadowy figure knelt by him. "Where is she?" It hissed into his face.

"Where is who?" Orson growled, coughing slightly. He was not easily intimidated and while this figure terrified him, he would sooner die than reveal anything.

"The princess. Where is she?!" The figure's voice was quiet, but it was also very furious.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The day had finally arrived. Ever since Orson had learned that his adoptive daughter was the princess of Celestria, he had always feared the day when someone would find her. He had known that the group that spoke to them today would end up causing trouble even if they were unaware of it.

The figure's hand glowed violet. A small dagger made of indigo magic formed in the figure's hand. The dagger pressed against Orson's throat, making a small cut into the flesh. Some blood trickled to the floor, mixing with the blood that had begun to drip from his back.

"Tell me or else." It hissed angrily.

"I told you I have no idea what you're talking about." Orson spat. He was losing patience with this figure. Perhaps losing patience with someone who could easily kill was not the best idea, but that was the way things were.

"Tell! She's somewhere in this house, isn't she?" The figure dug the knife further into the man's throat.

He groaned at the pain and sighed, "Fine. I'll tell." The words gurgled out from his mouth. He paused to spit out some blood.

"Yes?" The figure moved the knife back, its voice turning into a gleeful hiss. "Go on."

"She's gone." Orson smirked.

"What?! She would not have left you all alone. I know this! She refused to return home! How could she have left? You're lying!" The knife was back into his flesh, cutting ever closer to his jugular.

"Okay then… She's hiding. I told her to go and hide somewhere so no one can use trickery to take her away." Orson was still smirking. Ever since the strangers had left, Orson had gone to vast measures to ensure his daughter's safety.

The figure considered this new development. It had suspected an easy kill today. A simple assassination done by getting into the house and now it appeared that the princess had disappeared. It would search the house thoroughly for her.

"Daddy… What's going on?" A trembling voice spoke, taking in the scene of her father kneeling on the floor, his head held up by the shadowy figure.

The figure turned to look at the girl. This wasn't the princess. This was just a small child, completely innocent of any disastrous deeds.

"Run, Lita." Orson commanded. "Run!"

The girl's lip trembled as she shook her head. Tears rolled down her face. "Daddy! Daddy!"

"Lita!" Orson's voice turned very strict, causing the girl's tears to stop falling. "Listen to me. Run away with your mother. Don't look back. Daddy's just taking care of some business."

Lita's eyes shone with trust as she nodded her head. As she turned away, she asked, "Everything's going to be okay, right Daddy?"

"Everything will be fine." Orson lied.

"Okay then." Lita ran off, her tiny feet making quick sounds as she ran to awaken her mother.

The figure watched her go, but to Orson's relief, it did not pursue. Instead it turned back to Orson and sneered, "How precious. Lies made to a kid to protect them."

"She doesn't relate to this problem." Orson growled. He didn't like the way this thing acted. He didn't like how inhumane it sounded.

The figure didn't make any motion to indicate it had heard Orson. Instead it said in a rather calm voice, "One of my ancestors said those very same things to her daughter. Do you want to know what happened?"

Orson trembled. He had a feeling he knew what happened though he had no desires to let the fact be uttered aloud. "You'll never find her. She's safe from your evil. You'll never find her." A crazed laugh bubbled up from the man's chest.

"Useless." It hissed before sliding the knife deep into Orson's throat.

Orson let out a choking sound, some blood bubbling up past his lips. His head dropped down to the ground as scarlet blood began to coat the floor. The figure stood up, dusting off its garments. The magical knife flashed out of sight as the figure walked towards the stairs. It would find the princess and kill her. Vengeance would be made.

---

**A/N: And that's a wrap for today, folks! I enjoyed writing the later part of this chapter especially since it's been a long time since I've wrote action. Action is hard to write sometimes, but it's also really fun to do. Some questions to consider: Who was that figure? Where has Kamaria gone? Will I ever take over the world? All shall be answered soon (except the world domination thing… It's a long-term project). Reviews are appreciated and make me very happy though you are not obligated to press the button down below.**

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_ **


	11. Waiting Is A Boring Game

**Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! I have to apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. It was an incredibly tough chapter to write, probably because not a lot of exciting stuff happens here. Well, I'll let you find out on your own. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

_"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow- that is patience."  
-- Unknown_

_**Chapter 10: Waiting is a Boring Game**_

"Put him right there and tell me exactly what happened." Naeva pointed at the bed.

Midna deposited Link on the bed, taking a chair by his side. His face was covered in sweat, but this was remedied by a damp towel that Veiviser had thought to bring upstairs. She sighed. Time really was running out. She had forgotten to ask if Kamaria would be willing to use the magic of the amulet. Tomorrow she would make sure to ask, even beg, the Celestrian princess to help.

"I'm going to clean my club. Do you want me to clean off your sword Midna?" Veiviser had originally seated himself in the room, but now he stood up. His club was still bloody from the brawl.

Midna shook her head. "I'll finish cleaning later." Unlike Veiviser, Midna had quickly wiped away the blade on the grass to get rid of the blood. It would require further cleaning, but Midna had no desires to hand the precious sword over to Veiviser.

"Suit yourself. I'll clean the Master Sword too." Midna nodded, allowing Veiviser to take the Master Sword.

When Veiviser left the room, Midna recounted the tale starting from Kamaria's refusal to return all the way to the ambush. Naeva sat quietly, drinking in every detail of the story. When she was done, Naeva nodded her head.

"It looks like we've got quite the dilemma on our hands, but we'll have to hope that Livia will be able to talk some sense into Princess Kamaria." Naeva smiled kindly. "I'm sure everything will turn out alright in the end."

Midna wasn't as sure as Naeva on the subject, but she nodded her head anyway. "I hope so."

"Now we've got two other issues to address. First and foremost is what you plan to do about Link. He's getting worse, isn't he?" Midna nodded. "Well, we'll have to find some way to send him back home. Do you have any ideas?"

"I've got a plan, but I need Kamaria to do it." Midna sighed. She stared at Link. He was shifting slightly as if nightmares were haunting him.

Naeva beamed. "I don't care how much the Princess seems to have changed." Midna glanced over in surprise. "She's a good person and she won't want anyone to suffer."

"She didn't sound that kind when we spoke to her." Midna replied.

"Trust me; no one changes so completely in so little time." Midna didn't bother pointing out that it had been many years and that kids tended to change quickly as they grew. "She might not want the throne, but she'll happily aid you in sending Link to the Light Realm. Just ask her and it'll be fine."

"I'll try." Midna smiled weakly at Naeva who was still beaming.

"Our other problem is with the assassins…"

Before Naeva could say anything else, the door opened to admit Aleron into the room. His expression was as composed as always, but his eyes revealed the stress within. Midna felt guilt claw at her. They had been expecting Kamaria back soon to help fix the problems. Instead he would receive bad news that she had no desire to return.

"What assassins?" Aleron questioned sharply, not bothering in greeting anyone.

"Five assassins attacked us while we were crossing the field to get to Lunaris. We took care of them fine, but the odd thing is that one of them exploded when we tried questioning him." Midna's brow furrowed in thought as she explained the events.

Aleron scowled as he considered this. "It's likely that there's someone out there who wants you to stop your mission to find the princess. Or perhaps they simply don't want the aid of foreigners."

"Do you know anyone who could've hired them?" Midna asked. "We were going to search their bodies, but the rest of the bodies exploded as well."

"I don't know anyone who knows that type of magic." Aleron shook his head. "It appears as if we've got a powerful and mysterious foe to face."

"We'll have to hope that nothing else happens while you're here." Naeva sighed. "Maybe they've seen how strong you are and they'll give up."

"As lovely as that would be, I doubt the enemy will give up. Likely they'll send stronger forces next time." Aleron answered.

"Great," Midna sighed sarcastically. "As if we don't have enough to take care of." She looked back at Link.

Naeva caught Midna's worried stare. The Twili frowned for a few moments before smiling. "Don't worry. No one will be able to trespass into this house, so he'll be safe."

"It is a strong house." Aleron agreed. "However, if the enemy can explode bodies, there's the possibility they'll just bust the door down."

"Aleron, don't scare her." Naeva scolded quietly.

"It's okay." Midna said. "I'll be ready if they try to come in here."

Aleron changed the subject smoothly. "I assume you didn't get the princess." His tone made it sound as if he had expected just that.

"No…" Midna sighed. "She didn't want to come along, but we know where she is. We're going back there tomorrow to see if her adoptive mother has convinced her to return."

Aleron's lips pressed together tightly. "Right." He refrained from uttering any of his thoughts on the matter, all of which were pessimistic. Instead he simply turned around and walked out of the room. "I'm going to go and reinforce the door to make sure no one intrudes in the night."

Naeva sighed before smiling, "I'll go make dinner. We can't do anything with an empty stomach. Call me if you need anything."

"Thank you." Midna watched Naeva leave before turning to Link. "Oh Link… What are we going to do?"

It was a rhetorical question as Midna knew the answer to that. They would continue on with their mission. They would ask Kamaria to help in using the amulet to call Devincha and construct a portal to send Link through. And they would have to do this all while avoiding the deadly assassins who stalked them. Could life get any more difficult? Sadly the answer to that question was yes.

--

Midna had fallen into a light nap at Link's bedside after dinner. She was awoken by the sound of the door sliding up. Her red eyes flickered open to take in the sight of Veiviser.

"Hey Vei."

He had been staring at his feet as he walked, but his head jolted up at Midna's voice. A wry grin forced its way on to his face.

"Hey Middy." Midna scowled at the nickname, but decided not to reprimand him this time. Next time would spell certain disaster for the long-eared Twili. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." Midna lied. There was nothing fine about their current situation and Veiviser knew it.

"Oh… I'm fine too." Veiviser lied as well. He looked around awkwardly, chewing on his lip nervously as he considered the burning question in his mind. "It's nice outside."

"I suppose it is." Midna replied flatly with a glance at the window. Frankly, she hadn't noticed until now. How ironic that such a beautiful day could follow such dreadful events.

Despite the closing statement that Midna presented, Veiviser kept up the topic. "There hasn't been rain for a while. The sky's been covered in the loveliest shade of orange for a long time now, hasn't it?" As he spoke, he continued his lip-chewing.

"Vei." Midna halted his ramble about the weather. "Just ask your question already."

Veiviser sighed, his shoulders dropping. With some of the most pitiful eyes Midna had ever seen, he asked, "Do you think Kamy hates Lunaris and everyone in it now? Is that why she's not coming back?"

Midna wasn't surprised by the question though the type of nervousness that had been affecting Vei made it seem as if the question was an unbelievable one. She decided to go with the straight and honest approach on the issue.

"I don't know."

"That's not an answer." Veiviser refuted, a scowl taking over his face.

"Fine." Midna sighed. "This is a guess, but I don't think that's her reasoning. She said she didn't want to come back because she wanted to stay with her family in Honap."

"But they're not her family!" Veiviser frowned. "All of her family is dead… That's why we need her to take on the throne."

"Vei, you don't like them, do you?" When Veiviser didn't answer, Midna knew she was right. "It's not their fault that Kamaria doesn't want to return."

"I like Livia." Veiviser muttered, his eyes looking away from Midna.

"Orson and Lita aren't bad people. They just love Kamaria too much to let her go. And she doesn't want to leave them. Whatever you do, just don't hate them. Okay?"

"Fine," Veiviser grumbled. "Do you think Kamy will ever come back?"

"Maybe." Midna sighed. She didn't want to crush hope into the ground by saying Kamaria would never return, yet she didn't want to make a false promise of her return either.

"Can we go back now?" Veiviser looked at Midna eagerly.

Midna glanced down at Link. She didn't want to leave Link unconscious even though she trusted that Naeva would do an excellent job looking after him. How would he feel to be deserted? It would be a terrible feeling for him and even if he wouldn't display it, he would be upset inside. Waking up alone was never fun.

"Not yet. I want Link to wake up… Then we can go."

"But Link will want to go with us. I don't think he should be riding after his fall. Maybe we should just sneak away and hurry home before he wakes up."

Midna shook her head, causing Veiviser's ears to droop.

"Please." He added after a moment's silence, eyes glimmering in hope.

Midna rolled her eyes. "No. Now get out of here."

"Fine, I'll leave the lovers alone." Veiviser said crossly before leaving the room.

Midna leaned back in her chair and began a long wait for Link's eventual awakening.

--

A groggy groan from the otherwise silent body by her alerted Midna. She looked over at Link. The Hylian's hand was massaging his temple, his eyes still flickering to stay open.

"Midna?" He finally attempted to croak out a word. His eyes turned to her.

Dark circles ringed his tired blue eyes. His disheveled hair stuck out in various directions. He looked nothing like the fit hero Midna had gotten accustomed to seeing. He looked more like a sick patient, a frequent visitor to Valtina's office. But it was Link and as the fatigue was pushed away, she could still see the same fighting spirit in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Link nodded his head and started to push himself up. Midna shoved him back down. "No." She said sternly with narrowed eyes.

Link sighed. He didn't feel like arguing just yet, that could wait for later. Information was the most important thing right now. "How long was I out? What happened? Did anyone get hurt?" Three questions flew out from his mouth and they would have been followed by more if Midna hadn't chosen to cut him off that moment.

"You've been out for about 20 hours now. We were attacked by assassins while returning to Lunaris and after killing one, you fainted due to the Viduata Solis. No one got badly injured though Veiviser did need to fix his arm up from a cut." Midna relayed in quick succession.

"Do you know who sent the assassins?" Now that the big picture had been painted, Link could settle down to listen to the details.

"Unfortunately not, but we do know two things. One is that the sender is capable of exploding their minions from afar, meaning they possess powerful magic. And the other is that they have no shortage of minions."

Link smirked, "I was wondering when all the action would start."

"Too bad you're too weak to handle it." Midna replied dryly. Link frowned at her, but didn't argue the point.

"What are we going to do now?"

"We?" Midna raised an eyebrow. "_You _are going to stay in bed and have Naeva feed you a good meal. _Veiviser and me _are going to head out and return to Honap to speak with Kamaria again."

"But-"

"No buts. You're not going to convince me to let you go anywhere in your condition, understood?" Her eyes gleamed seriously, causing Link to sigh.

While he could be stubborn enough to win most things, Midna was just as stubborn as him on some matters. This was one of those matters and no amount of persuasion would allow her to take him along. On top of that, Link had to admit that his limbs felt like jelly, pitiful and weak jelly at that matter. He wouldn't be able to make it down the stairs, let alone all the way to Honap. He would only be a bother and that was the last thing Link wanted to be.

"Fine." He groaned, obviously unhappy about the solution. However, his eyes brightened as he recalled Midna mentioning Naeva's cooking. "I suppose I'll have to build my strength up quickly. Make sure Naeva makes a lot."

Midna smiled at Link. "I will." She promised. "Bye." She turned her back to him and began walking towards the door.

"Don't I get a goodbye kiss?" Link's voice drifted back to her.

She turned around, a small smirk on her face. Link smiled innocently back at her, perfectly unaware of the torture he had just set up for himself.

"Well…" Midna wandered closer to Link. Her indecisive tone made him frown. "I don't know if I should. Excitement might not be healthy for someone who's recently fainted." She tapped her chin with her finger, pointedly staring at a spot on the ceiling. From the corner of her eyes, she watched Link's face fall.

"I'm staying right here with no arguments. I think that deserves a small kiss." Link pleaded.

"I suppose it does." Midna leaned in, pecking Link on the nose. "Bye, Link."

Link was left with a dumbfounded face. He blinked a couple of times before shaking his head. He should've expected something similar from her. It must be the Viduata Solis that had made him forget Midna's cruel teases. Midna could be so unfair sometimes.

--

"Let's go." Midna said cheerfully to Veiviser.

"Link's up?" Midna nodded her head. "Staying behind?" Again, she nodded. "Well… What are we waiting for?"

Veiviser raced after Midna, both mounting two very excited Messengers. Macha stared at them with a saddened expression, whining at her lack of a rider.

"I'm sorry Macha. Link's not coming." This caused the Messenger to whine even more. "Don't worry, he's alright. I'm just making him get some rest."

Macha let out a doleful sigh before retreating to the stable where the Messengers were resting. Her tentacles dragged on the ground, obviously disappointed that she would not be riding out today. Sleipnir gave her a call and it must have made her feel better, as she perked up immediately.

Silently and quickly, Sleipnir and Eclipse began to run towards the gate that would take them to the outside world. Citizens looked at them, but it was only a brief glance before they resumed their daily tasks. They had gotten used to the Messengers racing through the streets to leave Lunaris. However, a few noted that there were only two Messengers and that the Hero of Twilight was the one missing. It would serve as gossip later at the local bars.

Soon they were loping through the field. Midna kept her eyes wide open for any mysterious Messengers, but the only thing that caught her eye was a sole rider coming from the forest.

"Vei, there's someone over there." Midna pointed in the direction of the forest.

Veiviser's eyes narrowed as he tried to distinguish the rider's physical characteristics, but he couldn't make any details out. He shook his head. "I might have super-hearing, but my eyes are normal. Well, I suppose we can handle one assassin."

"Maybe it's not an assassin. Ever thought of that?"

Veiviser paused and grinned. "No. The thought hadn't crossed my mind. Who else would be riding out from the forest?"

"I don't know." Midna admitted. "Let's go closer and then we'll see if they're our enemy."

"Gotcha." Veiviser agreed with the plan and they began racing towards the figure.

As they neared, it was possible to see that the figure was small. The figure, gender was hard to place at this distance, was riding a Messenger and waving at them. Veiviser's heart began to beat faster. His thoughts were flashing by quickly.

_Is it really… No, I can't think like that. It's probably a dwarf Twili riding around on a large Messenger. Are there dwarf Twili? I should really ask Midna sometime. What was I thinking about? …Oh yeah! The figure on the Messenger! What if it's…! Didn't I tell myself not to think about it? Don't get your hopes up. That's what Dad would say and he knows best. Or at least I think he does. Actually, I change that. He doesn't always know best, he's such a downer sometimes. _

Eventually there came a point when the two heroes met with the figure. Veiviser stared intently. He could now see that it was not a dwarf Twili of any kind, but a child, a girl to be precise. The girl was dressed in a simple black tunic with a cloak much too large for her thrown over her shoulders casually. She had short red hair and distinct purple eyes.

"_Kamy?!"_ Veiviser's eyes widened in recognition, joy, and disbelief.

---

**A/N: I'm going to be evil and leave it off here… I know this chapter's a lot shorter (and probably less exciting) than the ones I've been dishing out recently, but think of it as a transition chapter. This chapter marks a serious turning point where stuff will be happening in a rapid succession of events. What those events will be, well you'll just have to keep reading to find. In fact, the title of this chapter is a joke on the fact that a lot of this chapter is spent waiting and you're left waiting for the next chapter when you're done with this.**

**A final note before I sign off, my favorite paragraph to write in this entire chapter was Veiviser's thoughts. He's so much fun to write at times and it was fun to write down what was going on in his head. **

**I lied. The above wasn't the final note. This is xD. Reviews are great and they make me happy! Of course, you don't have to review, but those who do are gifted with crackers and cheese!**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon**_


	12. Into the Welcome Arms of Home

**Author's Notes: As always, thanks for the reviews. They're a pleasure to read. I've got bad news for all of you faithful readers. This will probably be my last update before school starts. I would love to write another chapter, but I don't want to make any promises. Despite the fact that I'll have school and less time to write, I am determined to at least write one chapter every month. The goal is low because I don't want to make any false promises. If possible, I'll fit more than one chapter in, but I want an easy goal. **

**The quote doesn't fit exactly, but the quote I would've loved to use would have given too much away (if you thought about it). So I just chose a quote about responsibility that was amusing. Seizing your responsibility does play a role in this story after all. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

_"Dr. Miller says we are pessimistic because life seems like a very bad, very screwed-up film. If you ask "What's wrong with the projector?" and go up to the control room, you find it's empty. You are the projectionist and you should have been up there all the time."  
-- Colin Wilson_

_**Chapter 11: Into the Welcome Arms of Home**_

"_Kamy?!"_ Veiviser's eyes widened in recognition, joy, and disbelief.

Midna watched with shock written across her face as the figure nodded her head. It really was the exiled princess. Had Livia really done that great a job that the princess had come racing to Lunaris? It seemed much too simple in a life that was often much too tough. Her eyes narrowed in slight suspicion. Perhaps she had come here to find someone to replace her on the throne? Or perhaps to open the treasury and then crown another person?

"What are you doing here?!" Veiviser didn't allow Kamaria anytime to answer his question before forging ahead with a million more questions. "Are you here to take back the throne? Are you going to make everything better? So you really don't hate us, do you? Did Livia tell you that you should return?"

Kamaria cut Veiviser off with a sharp look. "I'm here to return to my nation as the princess."

The statement was a very simple one, but it was possibly the only thing at the time that could've made Veiviser's spirits soar sky high. The boy's face broke into a large grin. He leaped off Eclipse's back and ran straight at Kamaria. If she had not been on Arion, Midna was sure that he would've tackled her. However, since she was seated on the Messenger, he simply tucked his hands under Kamaria's armpits and swung her out of the seat.

Arion growled in frustration, but that didn't stop Veiviser from twirling Kamaria through the air a few times. Mad laughter bubbled up from his throat. In a way, their joyous reunion (though it could hardly be called that since they had met the previous day) was the most amusing one Midna had ever seen. Yet, in Vei's own way, she could see that he was conveying all the happiness at seeing his old friend act like she used to. It was touching.

Finally Vei set Kamaria down on the ground. She sighed in relief at being back on her own two feet before Eclipse knocked her down to the ground.

"Stop." She hissed, giggles bursting out of her at the Messenger's ticklish mane.

Veiviser chuckled. Seeing Arion's obvious look of displeasure, Vei tugged at Eclipse. "Come on, boy. You better get off Her Royal Highness before Arion attacks."

Eclipse clambered off Kamaria and sat on the ground by Veiviser's feet. Meanwhile Midna had moved closer to the princess.

"What made you change your mind?" She asked. The doubt that things were too easy still existed in her mind despite the fact that Kamaria had said she was coming to Lunaris for good. When had life ever been simple in their world?

Kamaria glanced over at Midna while accepting Veiviser's hand to stand up. "My mother." She spoke without hesitation. "She explained to me the consequences of what my refusal would bring, so I decided that I'd come."

Midna nodded her head, sending a silent note of gratitude towards Livia. She would thank the woman in person later, perhaps as a side-trip while returning to her own realm. Of course, that would wait for after the coronation and Link's return to the Light Realm. The reminder that the Hylian would have to leave soon sent a pang of despair through Midna. If Kamaria was willing to rule Celestria, Midna was positive that she would help with Link's dilemma.

"That's wonderful to hear." Veiviser grinned at her before mounting Eclipse. "We better return right away, so we can start planning your crowning ceremony. Everyone will be so happy."

Secretly Midna wasn't sure if they would be as happy as Vei on the matter, but she agreed that it would bring joy to this world for most of the citizens. Most because she doubted the various criminals would be happy for the restored order.

The three mounted their Messengers and began riding back towards Lunaris. Veiviser took the lead as usual. Midna slowed Sleipnir down a bit, so that she was riding near Kamaria's side.

"Kamaria, can you help me out with something?" Midna had never been a fan of asking for help from anyone, but she had learned that sometimes it was the only way to get things done. Like this, for instance.

The princess examined Midna for a few moments before nodding her head, "Go on." Her voice was tentative, seemingly afraid of what that favor would be.

"You remember Link? Well, he's contracted a deadly disease known as the Viduata Solis. It's due to lack of sunlight and light dwellers get it if they're confined in the Twilight Realm for a long time. I know a way to get him back there, but I'll need your help."

"I'm not that experienced in magic." Kamaria warned. "I only know the simpler spells that I learned with my magic tutor."

"This is simple magic because it works through the aid of an amulet." Kamaria nodded her head in understanding. Magical talismans made magic a lot easier. "All I need for the spell to construct a portal is two people; one person with the magic from my royal bloodline and one from yours."

Kamaria's face was unreadable as she considered this. Midna thought it took quite a while for the Twili to reach a decision, and just when she was about to repeat her question, Kamaria spoke.

"I'll help… But I want Link to watch the coronation." Kamaria said firmly.

"He's got about five days including today." Midna responded flatly. "Unless you're planning to have the ceremony before then, I can't agree to that."

"Then we'll have it in two days." Kamaria smiled. "We'll have enough time for preparations and he'll able to witness it with no risk of death. What do you say?"

Midna mulled over this proposition. Ultimately the choice would be Link's, but that didn't stop her from making a choice. If she agreed, she would have more time with Link and he would witness the crowning. However, he would be in terrible condition by then. If she disagreed, Kamaria might not help her and she would lose precious time with her love. Would Link want to go home sooner? Midna figured that he would not.

As with all things, there were pros and cons to each option. Midna finally settled on the choice that she believed to best and she quickly informed Kamaria on her choice.

--

News had spread quickly through Lunaris that the Hero of Twilight was not among the group of Messengers who had headed out. Perhaps that was the reason why when three Messengers walked through the gates, everyone turned their eyes to survey them. Two of them were familiar, the kid Veiviser aka the wanna-be hero and the Twilight Princess aka royal foreigner. However, the third figure, a slim girl on a scary-looking Messenger, was completely unfamiliar.

The crowds quickly formed a circle around the three Messengers. From their post, two guards had a wonderful vantage point to survey the stranger without jostling with the crowd for a better view. One of them, a young fellow who had joined only two years ago, scratched his head and placed his cards facedown.

"Hey Ratch, who do you suppose she is?"

Ratch lifted his eyes away from the cards he had been studying to examine the small girl. His light orange eyes stared at her and then glanced at the Messenger she was on.

"Didn't that Messenger leave these gates yesterday?" Ratch questioned, eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"I don't know." The young fellow shrugged guiltily. The previous morning he had had a massive headache from the partying of the night before and he hadn't been as attentive as he was supposed to be. Not that he was that much more attentive right now…

Ratch chewed on one of the stalks of grass he had taken to carrying around. He nodded his head. "Yeah, that's definitely the one. I remember him. No other Messengers I know have a crack in their mask. Unless they're dead, that is."

"How do suppose he got it?"

Ratch glared at the younger guard. "I don't care, Drave. What I want to know is who the missy perched on his back is."

Drave looked curiously at the girl. Red hair was a common enough color among Twili, Drave thought, fingering his own red hair. However, her hair was more crimson than the regular red. It reminded Drave of another guy. That wasn't her most unique feature though. Her violet eyes examined the crowds tactfully. There weren't many Twili with violet eyes. Drave felt that he knew who she was, but the name was just out of reach.

"She looks familiar, don't she?" Drave finally said after a few moments of silent examination.

Ratch's eyes narrowed. He was about to deny it and call Drave an idiot, but he had to admit that her crimson hair did remind him of Galathron. The guard shivered at the thought of the ruthless king.

"She's the princess." Ratch finally announced. Drave looked from her to Ratch and then back at her.

"You mean the one that went missing?" Drave had not been in service at the time, but he could recall the news of an exiled princess spreading through the city. "Now that you mention it… I do remember seeing a little girl with red hair and purple eyes whenever the royal entourage passed by. She was always so cute, but look at her now. She's grown a bit and she looks so much more mature sitting there." He shook his head in wonder. "Wow, she's-"

"Shut up! I'm trying to listen." Ratch leaned over to slap the back of Drave's head.

Drave scowled, but didn't retaliate. He would get revenge later when he was done listening to Veiviser and Midna's words.

"Princess Kamaria Reia Catalystra of Celestria has returned!" Veiviser shouted loudly to answer all of the main questions being fired at the group.

"I knew I was right." Ratch muttered smugly.

The crowd went wild. They pushed at each other to get a better look at their future ruler. A pickpocket who had been plotting to rob someone backed away from his victim. He didn't want to be the first prisoner of a new reign.

"You really found the princess. I didn't think you would."

"Where have you been all this time? Were you safe?"

"Why didn't you come back as soon as Galathron was dead?"

"Can you pay my husband? He's been working for days without any reward!"

"When's the ceremony?"

"What's the first order of business, princess?"

"Can you deal with those thieves that broke into my house earlier? I want them arrested!"

"You've grown quite a lot since I lost saw you."

Those were just some of the things that flew out from the mouths of the bystanders. Midna and Vei both glanced over at Kamaria to see how she was taking it. From the look of her, she was not taking all this noise very well. Her body was trembling and sweat coated her brow. To her credit, her face displayed absolutely no sign that she was taken aback by all this, other than the sweat.

"You ok, Kamy?" Veiviser murmured. If the crowd had been quieter, they may have heard, but their own raucous questions blocked everything.

Kamaria was about to nod her head before deciding that a lie would not help her out at all. "It's just all this noise and the smell… It's been a while since I've smelled this type of odor. It's putrid."

Midna nodded in understanding. When accustomed to living out in the cleaner town of Honap, it must be a shock to come into a city with its varied scents, not all of which were pleasant. The noise levels would not be helping Kamaria deal with the stench either.

Veiviser's eyes narrowed in determination. At the top of his lungs, he hollered, "Shut up everyone!" They quieted down, more out of shock than obedience. "The princess needs to get some rest. We'll be escorting her to the palace. Questions and requests can wait for later."

Before people could complain, the Messengers began running. The crowd parted to allow them passage.

"I guess we won't be able to play cards as much anymore, eh Ratch?" Drave sighed, a small grin on his face.

Ratch turned to look at Drave before rolling his eyes. "At least we'll be getting paid again. It'll be good to work for money once more."

"Yeah…" Drave said dreamily, thinking of the bar that he regularly attended. "I was running low on money for drinks anyway."

"Idiot." Ratch muttered before sitting down to finish their card game.

--

Rather than go to Naeva's house, they decided on heading towards the palace. Once there, they could tell Aleron the good news as well as the other palace workers. Plus, Kamaria wanted to see what the palace looked like and Veiviser couldn't say no the girl.

"Wow." Kamaria breathed softly as she beheld the palace.

"It hasn't changed too much on the outside." Veiviser said with a light shrug. "But I guess it does still look impressive if you haven't seen it for a while."

Kamaria agreed with a small nod, eyes still bulging at the sight of the obsidian castle. She finally took her eyes away from the structure to look at the guard perched up on the gate-tower.

Midna was shouting at him. "Can we go through?"

The guard glanced over the three of them. Aleron hadn't told him to expect visitors, but on the other hand, these were familiar visitors. They had visited two days ago to go to the library and free the imprisoned Messenger.

"I suppose so." He shrugged before looking closely at the girl. "Is that…Princess Kamaria?!" It was the most excited Midna had ever heard the guard be.

She smiled up at him with a dazzling smile. "It's me. I'd like to come inside my home." Her tone was confident and charming, but Midna couldn't help but wonder if there had been an undertone of malice in the girl's voice. She shook the thought off.

"Of course, Your Highness." The guard quickly began turning the wheel, resulting in the door to fall down. "Come on in." He said cheerfully.

"Thanks." Kamaria shouted back before nudging Arion. "Let's go. You can go and check out the stables while I look at the interior." The Messenger nodded his head in agreement.

Veiviser followed after Kamaria before glancing back at Midna and Sleipnir, "You guys haven't fallen asleep yet, have you?! Middy's still awake?"

"Don't call me that." Midna's eyes narrowed at the boy.

"You let me call you that earlier." Veiviser pouted.

"That was a one-time thing."

"Fine." Veiviser grumbled before slyly adding, "Whatever you say, Middy. Hurry up."

She scowled at him, but decided to leave the complaints for later. "I've decided that I'm not going in. I want to hurry up and check on Link. I'll make sure to tell Naeva about Kamaria."

Veiviser sighed. "Alright… I wish I could see their faces when you tell them."

"I'll see you later." Midna waved a hand at Veiviser and Kamaria, both of which waved back at her. Then she turned Sleipnir around and charged off, leaving the two alone to walk into the castle grounds.

Veiviser stared at Kamaria, taking in her facial expressions as she looked around the palace grounds. It had been a while since she had seen them, but he couldn't tell that much had changed. With a grin, he called to her.

"Will we be finishing our fight sometime?"

Kamaria glanced at him, confusion twisting on to her face. "What do you mean, Vei?"

Veiviser felt a flutter as she used his nickname, but he felt disappointment as well. How could she forget about their fight? Sure, the subject was a bit random at a time like this, but she had mentioned it in the letter. Then again, it had been a long time ago.

"Remember? Our fight on the day you were exiled." His tone was just as eager as before, not letting on to the disappointment that bit at him.

"When we have time." Kamaria smiled. "Right now, we're probably going to be too busy working to bring about order and prepare for the coronation."

Veiviser frowned before smiling hopefully, "Right after you get crowned?"

"If there's time." She nodded though she was a bit hesitant about her answer.

Veiviser, being the clueless Twili he often is, missed the note of hesitance. Instead he grinned widely and agreed, "It's a promise then."

The two proceeded through the castle grounds towards the castle itself. Much to Vei's amusement, Kamaria gaped at every little thing. Well, not at every little thing, but she gaped at the fountain, the statue, the fancy shrubbery, and the castle itself. When he pointed it out to her, she denied it with an adorable pout on her face.

"You remember Aleron, my dad, don't you?" Veiviser asked as the two climbed up the grand steps leading to the double doors of the castle.

"Of course I do." Kamaria said nothing more.

"He didn't think that we would be able to find you or convince you to come back. I'm going to enjoy seeing his face when I tell him you're back." Veiviser had already run through a variety of expressions his father might show, all of them incredibly amusing to the boy.

Kamaria nodded her head, but said nothing.

"Dad!" Veiviser shouted loudly as he opened the doors. His yell echoed through the large foyer. "He should come soon…" Veiviser said with a smile

"Hmm…" Kamaria nodded though she really wasn't paying attention. Instead her attention was on the statue of Jericho, eyes narrowed at the past king.

Veiviser didn't notice her glare because he was too busy watching out for his father. Soon the stoic Twili came into the room, weariness tugging at his face. Black bags hung under his eyes, indicating the restless night he had had.

"Vei, what do you want? You know I'm busy." Aleron's baritone voice seemed to be growling.

He came to a sudden halt as he noticed a sweetly smiling Kamaria (by now, she had turned away from the statue). His eyes widened in recognition and shock. His mouth was agape and fluttering, as if trying to search for some words to say. Veiviser took the pleasure of taking a mental picture of the moment. This might be the last time he took his dad off-guard and he wanted it to last.

"Who is this?" Aleron finally asked. Rather than his composed voice, it came out as a stuttering gasp.

"This is Princess Kamaria Reia Catalystra." Veiviser announced with a hint of pride in his voice. "Also known as Kamy."

"You found her." Aleron shook his head in wonder. In a smooth motion, he walked up to the princess and knelt down, bowing his head. "Princess… I am Aleron Elliptil, a loyal messenger."

The girl smiled pleasantly. "I remember you." Aleron kept his head bowed. A few moments passed before Kamaria realized that she had to order him. "You can get up."

He straightened up. "Let us retire to the sitting room. Before Veiviser called for me, I was discussing matters with some of your most loyal subjects. On the way, I'll inform you on the status of the city. Come along." Aleron waved his hand to the princess.

"Can I come too, Dad?" Veiviser asked, eyes shining hopefully.

"Only if you behave."

"I promise I will." Veiviser grinned.

Aleron nodded shortly before launching into an explanation of the conditions in the city. He talked about the increased crime rate, the drop in workers, the loss of some of the best warriors and advisors, and the loss in money. Kamaria listened, nodding her head at some points, but keeping silent for the most part. Veiviser completely tuned his father out, instead focusing his attention on Kamaria.

"We'll need the treasury to be opened as soon as possible." Aleron added after finishing his explanation.

"I can do that once we're finished speaking with the other responsible Twili about both the issues and the coronation."

"Here we are." Aleron halted at a door.

He opened it, revealing a comfortable sitting room. It had been the room where the king would meet with his advisors to discuss things. There was a large circular table in the room, which was surrounded by multiple chairs, most of which were empty. A grand throne was among these chairs, but no one sat on it. They had been discussing something before the arrival of the trio, but now they were silently staring at the two unexpected guests.

All in all, only four Twili were sitting there. The other members were deployed around the city, doing their best to keep things in order.

"Is that who I think it is?" A Twili with ash-colored irises surrounded by a bright yellow was the first to speak up.

"I don't know. Who do you think it is?" Veiviser asked with a huge grin. "If you're thinking the greatest Twili to walk the earth and the hero of Lunaris, then yes, I am him."

Aleron glared at Veiviser and hit the boy. "Behave." He hissed before answering the man who had originally spoken. "This is Her Highness, Princess Kamaria Reia Catalystra."

All four Twili immediately bowed their heads. A short and stout Twili waddled up to her and kissed Kamaria's hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess. You don't know how happy I am to see you again." Kamaria nodded her head, but kept silent.

Aleron spoke up. "That is Porter. He's a gardener, but he's been helping us out a lot as well as tending to the gardens. "

Porter was very short. He had nicely trimmed hair, light red in color. His eyes were perhaps the oddest part of him, other than his stature. The irises were a dark yellow while surrounding them was more yellow, slightly lighter than the iris. This gave for the impression that his eyes were just two colors; yellow and black. All the yellow in his eyes made it no surprise that his markings were yellow as well. He was dressed in a black overcoat that hid his gardener uniform.

"You can all get up." Kamaria piped up, seeing that the others still had their heads bowed. They stood up and smiled, waiting to be introduced by Aleron.

"This is Vaschel." Aleron indicated the Twili who had first spoken, the one with the ashy gray eyes. "He's a soldier."

Vaschel has dark green hair pulled into a ponytail. His face was weary and there were bags under his eyes, but his ashy eyes were sparkling with happiness. A fang jutted out from his smiling mouth. He wore a black chest-plate with the crest of Celestria stamped on it as well as black leg armor and shoulder pads. His teal runes shined brightly.

"Never got any higher than a foot-soldier." Vaschel shook his head, grinning widely. "I was just a bit too impulsive to get any higher."

"Don't you mean stupid." A female Twili hissed at him. Anyone could tell it was good-natured and not meant to be mean.

Vaschel chuckled. "You would know."

"Morgana." Aleron nodded at the female who had spoken. "She worked alongside Vaschel."

"Unfortunately." She sighed.

Morgana looked nearly identical to Vaschel. Her hair was the same shade though it was pulled into a longer ponytail. Her teal runes seemed to be the exact same as Vaschel's in design. They even wore similar armor. The only difference, other than the body parts that distinguish male and female apart, was that her eyes were a sandy yellow with flecks of gold around the iris.

"You were just as reckless as me, sis." Vaschel countered. When Morgana didn't say anything, Veiviser realized that both siblings were equally rash.

"Finally we have Ramaine." Aleron gestured to the final member. "She's actually the only one of us who joined after Galathron's death."

The girl smiled slightly though Veiviser thought it was rather unsure. Whereas the other members all looked to be in their 30s or 40s, Ramaine was 18. What an 18 year-old was doing in this dusty room full of older people, Veiviser had no idea. She was a pretty girl and she could've easily gotten herself a job elsewhere. Magenta hair cascaded down to her shoulders in waves. Her eyes were a dark red that reminded Vei of wine. She had blue runes that gave off a light glow. Ramaine was dressed in a dark gray dress with a slit skirt and slit sleeves. An apron was tied casually around her waist.

"I've been helping out with the cooking here since the old chefs died." Her voice cracked a bit at the mention of the old chefs.

Veiviser noticed, but he didn't really take much note on it. Instead he plowed ahead with a question, "Why are you here when you can be having fun outside?"

"Veiviser." Aleron growled, giving the boy another nudge.

Ramaine smiled sadly. "Not everything's about fun. I want to help out here."

"Why?" Veiviser asked again, earning yet another nudge from his father.

"My parents were the old head chefs, but they died when Galathron did…" Ramaine looked down at her hands before looking back up. "They didn't like Galathron that much, but they were loyal to the crown and I'm going to do the same." She looked over at Kamaria. "I promise to serve you."

"You should make her head chef once you're crowned. She's an exquisite cook." Morgana said. Vaschel nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll have to taste your food sometime." Kamaria nodded her head.

Ramaine smiled at the princess, "It would be my pleasure to cook you whatever you want." The words sounded a bit odd coming from her mouth since they were simply words spoken out of duty. Whether those words were actually true or not was left standing for debate at the moment. Ramaine had never known Kamaria and despite the good stories about her, she wanted to judge the princess for herself.

"Let's get down to business." Aleron said. He moved over to sit down on a chair, motioning for Veiviser to sit down next to him. Kamaria eased herself into the throne.

"All the guards will come back to work when they hear there's money to be made once more. And if they're still working, they'll start working harder now." Vaschel said.

"Now that we have a princess, we'll be able to solve the problems easily. We just need to plan the coronation." Porter added before asking, "When shall we have the ceremony?"

"I was thinking in two days." Kamaria said. Veiviser marveled at the fact that Kamaria sounded so calm while addressing all these people. She sounded so confident. It was amazing to see his friend like that.

"Two days?" Porter yelped in alarm. "But how will we be able to have a grand ceremony in two days?!" The others looked just as surprised, but they made no comments.

"We need speed right now, don't we?" Everyone nodded in agreement with Kamaria. "If I'm crowned faster, then more people will listen to me and we can solve the problems faster. Planning something lavish would be an expense of time."

Aleron nodded his head. "It's true that people are more likely to listen to her once she actually has a crown on her head. By law, a ruler must be crowned before they can give any large orders. She won't be able to promote any new commanders or heads without being crowned."

"Well, then let's take a vote on it!" Vaschel smiled. "That was the way the old advisors used to do things, wasn't it?"

"Except for the fact that Galathron made them vote his way every time, it was a good system." Morgana agreed, a small smirk on her face as she thought of the dead king. "My vote is let's do it."

"Same." Vaschel nodded his head.

"The sooner the better." Ramaine agreed.

Porter sighed, dropping his shoulders. "I suppose we could put something together if we use all the time left today and tomorrow."

"Then it's decided." Kamaria nodded her head, pleased with the results of the vote.

"Yay!" Veiviser jumped up in joy. "Kamy's going to be the queen in two days!"

Aleron lowered his head, muttering something that sounded an awful lot like a curse against his son, and then proceeded to yanking his son back into his seat. "Veiviser, calm down."

Vaschel and Morgana both laughed in amusement, hiding their smiling mouths behind a hand. Aleron glowered at them, but that did not stop their giggling.

Veiviser yelped in pain as Aleron pulled at his long ear. "Stop it, Dad! You're hurting my ear!" When it didn't stop, he complained. "I'm going to tell Mommy and she'll leave you without dinner."

This caused Vaschel and Morgana to laugh louder, both of them doing a sloppy job at hiding it. Ramaine had started laughing as well, but she made no attempts to conceal. Porter chuckled despite his strong desire not to. Kamaria simply rolled her eyes, but this went unnoticed by the others.

Aleron finally let go. "Veiviser, you said you would behave." His voice was tight as he stared at his son.

Veiviser gave him a toothy grin. "I did say that, didn't I?" Before Aleron could agree, Veiviser turned to Kamaria. "Are you going to invite your adoptive family to the coronation?"

Kamaria's lips pressed tightly together. "No. They told me that they didn't want to leave the village, but they sent me off with their blessings."

"Okay." Veiviser shrugged. "Are you okay that they can't come?" He didn't really like the family except for Livia because they had kept Kamaria back, but he knew that Kamaria did love them.

"I'm fine." Kamaria shrugged offhandedly before returning her attention to the rest of the group. "Now how about we get back to planning the coronation? We'll need food, someone who can manage everyone, some décor, and all the regular rite equipment."

"I can manage the menu." Ramaine volunteered. "I think I know exactly what I need to make."

"That sounds good."

"I'll send Naeva to help bake some stuff as well." Aleron offered up.

"The help would be nice. Your wife's pastries are incredible." Because she was an honest person, Aleron knew that Ramaine meant it.

"I can help manage people. People have said that I have an eye for the aesthetic." Porter said without a hint of arrogance. "I would be delighted to help with the decorations."

"What does aesthetic mean?" Veiviser muttered, but his question went ignored by the others. He glanced over at Kamaria, but she showed no sign of not knowing the word. Either she had learned it before or she was just guessing its meaning.

"Morgana and I will start by spreading the news of your arrival. We'll inform all the old staff to report back here to help with the coronation." Vaschel said.

"That's a good idea. We'll need more workers to get the coronation done."

They sat there for a few hours, laying out plans for the coronation. Veiviser had eventually fallen asleep in his chair, completely bored by the talk but unwilling to leave. His gentle snores were drowned out by the planning going on around him. Eventually someone shook his shoulder.

"Huh?" Veiviser groaned groggily, blinking open his eyes. He looked at Kamaria who was standing by his shoulder. "What's going on?"

"We're going to unlock the treasury. Are you coming?"

Everyone else was already waiting at the door. Veiviser blushed, the white parts of his face reddening brightly. It looked rather ridiculous with his bright orange hair.

"I'm coming."

The walk to the vault where all the money was kept was not a long one. The door was made completely of a shiny black stone. It was rounded like any regular vault door, but it lacked any sort of lock. The surface was completely smooth except for an intricate design in red.

"The first thing I'm doing is going to the bar to celebrate." Vaschel grinned, rubbing his hands together eagerly. He wasn't much of a drinker, but Vaschel did like to drink every now and then to celebrate events.

Morgana rolled her eyes. "As lovely as a drink sounds, we're going to have to work our butts off to deliver the news of Kamaria's return and to recruit all the old workers."

Vaschel sighed sadly before smiling. "I'll only get one drink to go."

"One." Morgana said sternly before smiling widely. "I think I'll have one too since you're already going to the bar."

Kamaria ignored their whispered conversation. She walked right up to the large door. Nervously one of her hands stretched out and touched the treasury's door. For a while, absolutely nothing happened. Veiviser's ears drooped in disappointment. Kamaria's eyebrows knit together, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the door.

A low rumbling bellowed up. Slowly the circular door began to roll to the side, groaning in protest. Finally it had slid completely opening, revealing the dark interior of the treasury.

"We're getting paid!" Vaschel yelled triumphantly. Morgana and Ramaine responded with similar cheers of delight. Porter clapped his hands together while Aleron just smiled.

Quietly, Veiviser asked Kamaria, "Can I get paid for finding you?"

The words were meant solely for her ears, but his father had been standing right next to him. He smacked his son's head and that was the end of Vei's quest for coins.

---

**A/N: I'm so proud that I was able to write a longer chapter to make up for the shortness of the last chapter. This was a great chapter to write though it took a while to plan the new OCs (they won't be too important, but I needed more people to work in the palace) and then to actually write out everything. Originally I was going to have a scene with Link and Midna, but I think I'll be moving that scene to the next chapter. Or it'll just be a deleted scene. I'm not sure yet. I'm sorry to say that I don't think I'll finish another chapter before school starts, but I'll try. Reviews are always nice to have, so go ahead and tell me what you think! **

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_ **


	13. If Only Tomorrow Would Never Come

**Author's Notes: Other than the fact that I have less time due to homework, this chapter was just plain evil to write. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

---

"Execution is the ability to mesh strategy with reality, align people with goals, and achieve the promised results."  
_-- Larry Bossidy _

_**Chapter 12: If Only Tomorrow Would Never Come**_

"Is Link awake?" Midna asked.

"Yes." Naeva lifted her head from the dough she had been kneading to look closely at Midna's face. "You have a surprise up your sleeve, don't you?"

Midna smiled innocently. "No I don't." Her tone was similar to that of a toddler denying that they had taken a cookie from a cookie jar.

"I know that tone." Midna blinked. "Veiviser uses it all the time when he's hiding something."

Midna sighed. It never ceased to amaze her that mothers always seemed to have a sixth sense. Her own mother's ability to detect lies had always been awfully accurate and now it seemed as if Naeva possessed the same talent. "I'll tell you when we go up to Link."

"Very well. Just wait while I wash off my hands." Naeva grabbed a damp washcloth and wiped off the flour that coated her hands. She didn't bother wiping off the smudge of flour on her cheek.

The two quickly clambered up the steps to the room Link was currently resting in. The door slid up, causing a very bored Hylian to glance over at them. His eyes brightened at the sight of Midna.

"You're back early. What happened?" His eyes slid over her body, searching for any signs of blood or torn fabric that would indicate an attack.

"We met someone while we were traveling on the road." Link's eyes narrowed, the boy instantly assuming it was more of the black assassins from before. "It was Kamaria."

Now Link's eyes widened in astonishment. He blinked a few times as if to reassure himself that Midna and her words were not a mere illusion cast by his illness. The truth didn't go away. Naeva's expression was similarly surprised, her mouth forming a small 'O' as she stared at Midna.

Midna smiled at both of them. "She wanted to take on her duty as queen of Celestria."

Naeva was the first to move. She let out a happy squeal before clapping her hands together. "That's wonderful news!" Her eyebrows furrowed. "But where is she?"

"She's in the castle right now, but she's going to come here after she's done."

"I better get going. I'll have to make her a nice dinner." Naeva left without another word, hurrying off to cook a dinner for her son's best friend.

Link smiled. "I guess that means the mission is done…" His smile fell as he realized what that implied. His eyes fell to the bed-sheet. "Did you ask her?"

Midna caught Link's forlorn expression. The same pain that tugged at her was plaguing the boy. The Twilight Princess walked over and sat on the bed by Link.

In a small voice, she said, "Yeah…" The Hylian's face seemed to fall even more. "But," Midna smiled now. "She's only going to do it after the crowning ceremony. She wants you to see it."

"When is it?" Link asked, a mixture of doubt and hope in his voice.

"In two days."

The Hylian looked at her with surprise, but Midna could only shrug. She had no idea why anyone would want such short notice for such an important event. Sure, the circumstances were different than usual, but that didn't require so few planning days. Everyone would have to work their butts off to make a nice ceremony in so few days.

"So I've got two days here…" Link said after a few minutes of silence had passed. Midna nodded her head.

Two days was not a long time. It would be gone in the flash of an eye and then Link would be gone as well. Midna blinked back tears that threatened to fall.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Link offered her a smile. "Don't worry. We'll spend as much time together as we can until then."

Midna nodded, still staring at the floor. She feared that if she even looked at Link, the tears she worked so hard to fight would fall. Carefully the boy pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around Midna. Her body had been shaking slightly, but when Link touched her, the shaking turned violent. Still, tears refused to fall.

"I know we'll see each other again." Midna stayed silent, blinking in alarm. What did Link mean? Seeing the confusion on her face, the boy frowned. "Can't you do that ritual that you told me about earlier? The one you found in the book?"

"You mean the Reise igjennom Virkelig?"

"Yeah, that one." Link nodded.

Midna thought over it before a smile split her face. "I suppose it could be possible to construct a portal whenever an eclipse comes around. It's better than never seeing you again." Midna nodded.

It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was better than nothing. A romantic story might say that these brief meetings were far more romantic than seeing the love of your life every day. They were secretive and special. However, Midna disagreed with that romantic viewpoint. If possible, she would prefer to live with her love, not only see him on short trysts to the realm of the other. It just wasn't possible to do things how she wanted.

Link smiled. "Until then, we'll just have to spend as much time together as possible."

"Well, it'll be boring to sit around in this room for two days, but I suppose I can make the time." Midna shrugged, a toothy grin on her face. The grin fell as a coughing fit took over Link. She watched with concerned eyes.

Once the boy was through with coughing, he offered up a weak smile to Midna. "It's nothing. Just something in my throat."

"Are you sure?" Midna reached out a hand and placed it on Link's cheek. His skin was cold under hers, but to her relief, it did not feel like the skin of a corpse. Yet.

"I'm sure. I've been coughing a bit lately, but it hasn't been anything too bad." Link yawned at the end of his sentence.

"You should get some sleep." Midna traced her hand up Link's cheek to brush some of his blonde hair out of his face. The Hylian smiled at her touch.

"If you say so, Princess." Link cracked a smile, his eyes falling shut.

Midna didn't bother replying. It would've been useless because the boy was already fast asleep.

--

News had spread quickly about Kamaria's return. The former employees of the castle had hurried to the castle for their jobs after catching sight of the Rupees that Vaschel and Morgana flaunted in front of them. Upon returning, they were given instructions on what to do to prepare for the coronation and sent on their merry ways. Money would be given after work, in which case at least half would go out to celebrate with a drink. The other half would buy food for their table.

Vaschel and Morgana had finished their work of gathering up the old employees and had both hurried back to the castle. Before they could rest, Porter had sent them outside for the necessary flowers and herbs that were required. They had both grumbled about it, but it had been good-natured grumbling as they were truly too cheerful to let a chore bug them.

Speaking about Porter, he was busy assigning duties to the other Twili. The gardener was proving to be quite skillful at bossing others around and his taste for the aesthetically pleasant had benefited the throne room greatly. From the respectful grin he wore on his face, it was clear to see that he was enjoying his ability to serve Princess Kamaria.

Ramaine was just as busy as the others. She had fortunately gotten a few other cooks to help her including Veiviser's mother. After a discussion on who was to take charge as the head chef, Ramaine had been elected to take the title for the moment. She was taking her duty quite seriously for fear of messing up, but the others all reassured her that she was doing a wonderful job.

Veiviser, to his disappointment, did not get to see Kamaria as often as he would have liked. One minute she was busy answering questions that Porter posed and the next she was whisked off to get a gown fitted for the big day. Even his attempts at helping out at the castle had resulted in him being kicked out on various errands, most of which involved gathering ingredients for the cooks.

Still, there was that extra skip to Vei's step as he went about these errands. Yes, they were incredibly boring and he would've preferred the old days of wrestling with Kamaria in the mud, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. Working for his best friend, even if she wasn't the one to give the orders, made him feel good.

On top of that, Aleron had promised him that he would get a few Rupees out of this. What exactly Veiviser was going to spend it on was unknown so far, but the Twili boy had a few ideas in mind. None of them included anything about saving the Rupees for the future and nearly all of them had something to do with food.

It seemed as if the entire city was involved in the preparations or at least providing for the coronation in some way (for example, some local farmers were providing food for the coronation while some musicians were doing their best to come up with original music). However, not everyone was involved. The criminals were wildly rushing around, trying to get in as much thefts as possible before it was completely impossible to do so.

And then there were two individuals, both foreigners, who spent the entire time inside. This was not out of hatred towards Kamaria. No bad feelings attributed to their solitude unless love could be considered a negative emotion.

Those two were obviously Midna and Link. Neither of them wanted the day to end. Midna had spent the entire day at Link's bedside. They had talked about everything and anything except for the impending future that would rip them apart. It was a nasty topic and while they had agreed to try out the ceremonies detailed in the Crepusculum ut Elucido, neither wanted to talk about it.

Compared to their other days in Celestria, this was an uneventful one. Everything was going according to plan and there were no deviations. The same could not be the said for the next day.

--

Vaschel let out a breath of relief. After he and his sister had finished gathering the necessities, Porter had made them decorate the throne room. They had just finished.

"We better leave before Porter comes and assigns us another task." Vaschel told Morgana.

His sister didn't answer him, choosing instead to sweep her sandy eyes over the throne room. Everything was ready for the big ceremony. It had been a huge task, but they had pulled it off successfully.

"I think everything's done. He's crazy if he thinks there's something else to do." Morgana noted.

Vaschel followed Morgana's gaze, nodding his head in agreement. "Definitely. Maybe we should quit being soldiers and take a job in interior decoration. We've done a rather fine job here."

Morgana rolled her eyes. In a sarcastic voice, she replied, "That would work well, considering we're not the ones who came up the design. Porter came up with the ideas, we just hung stuff up."

"True." Vaschel tapped his chin in thought before grinning. "Well, fighting is more fun anyway."

Morgana was about to reply when the sound of footsteps drew her attention. Mentally she prayed that it would not be Porter with more commands for them to carry out. A short shadowy figure appeared at the door, causing Vaschel to sigh sadly.

"What do you want us to do now, chief?" He asked Porter.

"Not now, but tomorrow. I want you both to act as guards. As you know, we lost all the Eclipsed Ones and we'll need to start building up bodyguards for the queen-to-be."

Vaschel's eyes widened. "The Eclipsed Ones? You're seriously telling us to take that position."

The Eclipsed Ones were the personal guards of the Celestrian Royal Family. They were highly valued and each member was blood bound to the leader. It was an honor to even be considered eligible for the position. They were supposed to be highly skilled and able to protect their ruler at the drop of a dime.

Porter nodded his head. "I think the princess will need some protection and you two are two of the few soldiers who didn't slack off. While I can't appoint you to the position, I think it would be wise of you to serve her until she says otherwise."

Morgana and Vaschel each wore similar grins on their faces. "We'll do it. Nothing will get past us."

"I sure hope so." Porter muttered. Truthfully, the gardener wasn't entirely positive if the reckless fighters could protect the princess well, but they were the only two he trusted enough to ask (even if it wasn't in his place to ask in the first place).

Morgana's brow wrinkled in thought. "Wait… You think the princess will get attacked tomorrow." Vaschel stopped the dance he had broken out into as he turned his attention towards the stout Twili.

Porter sighed. "I'm not sure, but there is the chance that something will happen."

"That's a rather pessimistic way of looking at things, but I'm going to agree with you there." Vaschel said with a nod.

"Then it's decided. You two will protect Her Majesty tomorrow."

"Definitely." Vaschel grinned. "I'll make sure to bring my sword with me."

Little did they know that the occurrences of the next day would not include an enemy attack. It would include something much more disastrous and complex than assassins.

--

"You've done an excellent job with the cooking, sweetie." Naeva said in a kind voice.

The culinary staff had worked hard the entire day to produce enough food for the feast that would take place after the coronation. They had finished late, so Ramaine had given them all permission to leave. Naeva had decided to stay behind to help despite not being a member of the royal cooking staff. For the past few minutes, the two had worked in silence, each absorbed in their own task.

"I couldn't have done it without everyone." Ramaine said truthfully as she swept some flour off the floor.

"And they couldn't have been so organized without such an excellent head chef." Ramaine's cheeks reddened. Naeva continued. "You would've made your parents proud."

A small smile crept on to Ramaine's red face. "You think so?"

"Of course."

"Thanks." Ramaine murmured softly. "I'm glad to hear that… I always thought my parents thought I lacked responsibility. I know they thought I flirted too much."

"All parents wish their children wouldn't do something, but in the end, they're always proud of you. Even if you did flirt quite a bit, I think after this whole crisis, you've shown yourself to have an incredible amount of responsibility."

"I suppose so." Ramaine shrugged. "I didn't want to disappoint my parents by not taking responsibility when I should. Even if I did have to take time away from boys to do so." She smiled.

"Well, if you ever need any help, I'm always glad to help you out." Naeva had finished cleaning. She took the rags she had been using to wash them out before returning them to a rack.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"No problem. I'll be your second mother if you ever need one."

"I'd like that, Naeva." Ramaine dumped out the contests of the dusting bin before replacing both the broom and the bin in the closet.

"Wonderful." Naeva clapped her hands together. "Now how about we walk home."

The two Twili walked outside after making sure that the magical locks of the kitchen were in place. Everything was done for the feast. Ramaine hummed softly as she walked. Things had looked rather dreary for the girl with the death of her parents, but she was positive that she could recover. Once this was all done, she promised herself that she would go and have some fun.

--

Veiviser trudged home in bitter disappointment. He opened the door with a slam and shut it with a similarly loud thud. Fortunately, Aleron was not home yet or he would've yelled at the boy for his behavior.

It wasn't really his fault that he was in such a bad mood. After this day spent mostly away from Kamaria, he had come to a very sad conclusion. If Kamaria was this busy preparing for a coronation, she would surely be busier while actually running the kingdom. She wouldn't have time to play anymore and he would be left to seeing her on rare occasions. The boy frowned.

"Aren't you the pleasant fellow?" Midna's sarcastic voice interrupted his thoughts. "I heard a door slam from upstairs and I find you at the scene of the crime. What happened?"

Veiviser glared at Midna's sarcasm before focusing his eyes away from her. "Nothing." He lied, his tone pitching upwards.

"You're not very good at lying." Midna crossed her arms and walked down the rest of the stairs. "What's wrong?"

Veiviser sighed and beckoned Midna to follow him to the sofa. The boy sat down heavily. "Do you think Kamy will have time for me when she's queen?"

Midna blinked in surprise. She hadn't really expected this. "Of course she will. She's not going to forget her friends even if she is in a position of power."

"But we barely spoke today." Veiviser stared down at his hands.

"It was a busy day, wasn't it?" Vei nodded, still not looking up. "So, of course she'll still be your friend and hang out with you. You're an idiot to think otherwise." Veiviser looked up finally, eyes widening in shock.

"I'm not an idiot." He retorted.

"Then you better not complain about how Kamaria doesn't spend enough time with you. She'll be busier, but that doesn't mean she'll push you away. I have time for Link despite being busy with matters in my kingdom. You won't have as much time as you did back then, but your relationship will not fade away. You'll stay friends. Understood?"

"Yeah…" Veiviser watched Midna with a look of awe. "Thanks… I really needed someone to tell me that."

"I know you did. That's why I told you." Midna smiled at him before standing up. "If you don't mind, I'm going back up to Link."

"Wait!" Midna halted in her progress towards the stairs. She looked back at Veiviser with a mixture of exasperation and question.

"What is it? Don't tell me you have any other idiotic ideas?"

"I was just wondering what you felt about Link having to leave." Veiviser asked.

Midna glanced down at the ground briefly before looking back up at Vei. "And you want to know, why?" She was simply stalling on telling Veiviser. Midna was not the type of person to easily reveal her thoughts and these particular thoughts were a secret from nearly everyone. Link was probably the only one who knew anything.

"If you need any help, I want to offer up words of wisdom like you do." Veiviser said with a small smile. "To thank you."

Midna rolled her eyes. "And you think you can say anything wise?"

"I sure do. I'm very smart though I don't always act like it." Veiviser grinned hopefully.

Midna smiled in amusement before frowning. "…I know Link has to leave, but I'm going to miss him a lot. He's probably the only one I'll ever love and even if I do eventually have to marry someone, it's not going to have the same emotion behind it. However, I know that we cannot be together. We come from different worlds and our love won't cure the Viduata Solis or allow me to live in the Light Realm."

Veiviser watched Midna with amazement. He had been surprised when she had begun to speak on her feelings. It was rare to see her open herself up like this. The only thing Vei regretted was not having a wonderful plan on how they could remain together.

Veiviser opened his mouth to say something, but Midna continued on. "We've promised each other that we'll keep in touch by using an ancient ritual to transport between realms. We won't be able to live with each other, but it's better than nothing."

"Wow." Veiviser breathed out softly as Midna finished. "I can't say I have much to tell you… I'm not an expert on love, but I know that this isn't the end. You may only see each other occasionally, but I think that you two will be fine. You won't die."

Midna smiled at Vei. "That was surprisingly deep for you, Vei. I figured you would just spew out nonsense."

Veiviser smiled. "I'm not done with my wisdom. I wanted to add that you'll continue on with your life, but you're going to become very paranoid about counting down the amount of time left until your next meeting. You'll start counting the seconds and if anyone asks, you'll be able to give them an accurate measure on how much time's left before you meet Link again."

Midna scowled at a grinning Veiviser. A throw pillow on the sofa broke into particles and reformed above Veiviser's head. The pillow fell down and hit him with a surprising amount of force behind it.

"So this is how you repay your wisdom giver, huh?" Veiviser scowled, rubbing at the bump that was beginning to form on his head. "Well, I think I'm going to retract my wisdom from you. We'll see how you'll live without my words to guide you."

"I think I'll manage." Midna replied before walking off upstairs.

Veiviser's question had made her start thinking again about how little time she had with Link and what exactly she was going to do with her life after he was gone. Other than the meetings, she had nothing else planned. Perhaps she could ask Link what he planned to do when he arrived home.

One more day was left. In fact, it wasn't even a day anymore. What they didn't know was that Link would not be going home tomorrow.

---

**A/N: And that's a wrap for today! I hope you enjoy your wonderful cliffhanger, which I prepared especially for you ^^ I've left a few hints throughout this chapter on what might happen next chapter. Let's just say that it'll have a lot more action than this chapter. Reviews make for a happy author and they're very simple to submit, so I want to see those mouse points moving down to the button below this note… I command you to click that button! Lol, just kidding. You don't have to review if you don't want to. Until next time,**

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_ **


	14. What a Wonderful Way to End Things

**Author's Notes: It's been a while, hasn't it? I did warn you that once school started, I'd be very busy. The good news is that I managed to finish this chapter and that the excitement will be starting! One last note; the quote doesn't mean much for the story other than it's about a coronation. And I find it incredibly amusing. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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"CORONATION, n. The ceremony of investing a sovereign with the outwards and visible signs of his divine right to be blown sky high with a dynamite bomb."  
_-- Ambrose Bierce _

_**Chapter 13: What a Wonderful Way to End This**_

Despite all those who wished that tomorrow would never come (an entire two people), the clock struck nine, heralding the beginnings of the coronation. It would start in the throne room where many years ago Kamaria had begged Galathron to stop the blood bonding.

Unlike that day when the room had been shrouded with blood and shadows, today it was lively. The walls were glowing cheerily with red markings. Streamers had been meticulously hung and flower arrangements had been made. Crowds of Twili were packed in to watch the proceedings and a band of local musicians were assembled to play music. A crimson carpet extended all the way up to a golden and obsidian throne. To the side of this throne, a small altar had been placed. Sitting on a scarlet cushion was the crown of Celestria. It was grand, just the type of ceremony any monarch could ever hope for.

Midna had a fake smile plastered on her face. She was standing among the place reserved for special guests, which included those who had worked at the palace despite the chaos that had engulfed it and the search team. Of course, she was happy that Celestria would have its ruler back, but she was not at all excited for what would occur after the coronation.

Her ruby eyes slid over to gaze at Link. The boy had dark rings under his eyes, but his face was a smiling one. However, looking deep into his eyes, Midna could see some of the sadness that plagued her reflected in them.

Link caught her gaze and reached over to squeeze her hand. "It's alright. We'll manage." His voice wasn't overly confident, but it did make Midna feel a little bit better.

"If you don't faint throughout the ceremony, everything will be fine." Midna smirked at him, unable to resist teasing the boy.

"I promise I won't do that." Link held his hand over his heart.

Veiviser was completely ignorant of the conversation going on right next to him. His eyes shone brightly as he watched the double doors for any sign of Kamaria. After Midna's encouraging words the night before, he was looking forwards to seeing his friend crowned; no regret on things changing plagued the boy's mind. And all the food! His smile widened at the thought.

Suddenly the musicians began to play a marching tune, a brisk rhythm filling the air. Conversations died down as everyone turned their attention towards the door. Veiviser smiled widely, glad for his abnormal height that allowed him to view over the tops of people's heads.

In regular coronations, it would be the elite guard who would march through the doors. However, because the elite guard had died, the two that marched through were simple soldiers; Morgana and Vaschel.

Both were decked out in the armor of their rank, as neither had felt it was right to don the armor of the Eclipsed Ones just yet. To their credit, they both wore mostly stoic expressions though Vaschel's lips were curved slightly into a smile and Morgana's eyes betrayed the bubbling excitement within. They had each been granted a long dark spear with a serrated blade at one end.

Once their solemn progression was over, each took a place on either side of the throne. While everyone had been busy watching the soldiers march across the carpet, Porter had snuck up to stand beside the altar. He was dressed very neatly, in fine dark red robes with silver trim. His hair was combed to one side.

In a booming voice that was so proud one would've thought Kamaria was his daughter, Porter announced, "Now presenting her Majesty, Kamaria Reia Catalystra!" Morgana and Vaschel each beat the butt of their spear into the ground once.

The music had changed along with this announcement from the military march into a more luscious melody. It flowed smoothly, accented with the occasional sharp note. Link gripped Midna's hand tighter, showing his excitement.

From the doors came Kamaria. She had changed out of the simple peasant clothing into a dark indigo gown, a few shades short of being completely black. The billowing sleeves had slit edges as did the long skirt. Runes had been stitched in red in elaborate designs. A pendant in the shape of a crescent moon hung around her neck. Her short hair had been carefully brushed, so that each strand fell perfectly into place. Her eyes glowed in excitement.

Veiviser's eyes widened as he saw his friend. He had never before seen her wear something like this. It blew his senses away. The boy opened his mouth to call out to her, only to be smacked in the back of his head by Aleron. He shut his mouth immediately upon seeing his father's stern expression.

Kamaria slowly progressed her way down the red carpet. She walked fluidly, a ballerina amongst a sea of faces watching only her. Her skirts flowed behind her.

Kamaria carefully came around the altar and stood in front of it. Her eyes stared out at her audience, a small smile on her face. She inclined her head slightly to Porter who was standing by her side, so small a gesture it was almost imperceptible.

Porter smiled and began to speak, "We have gathered here today to crown our newest queen. Times have been tough." A few people in the audience chortled; times had most definitely been more than tough. Porter waited for them to finish, a disapproving frown momentarily settling on his face.

"However, we have managed to strive our way through those troubles. And for dealing with those troubles, we have been rewarded with the return of our princess." He paused to allow for applause.

"Some of you may remember her back when she was just a little girl. I can still see her running around in the gardens, trampling the blossoms I had just planted and rolling around in the mud. But that wasn't all she did. I'm sure those of us who can remember knew her to be a gentle, kind spirit. She treated the servants with a kindness that made us wish Galathron was not first-born. She stopped on the streets to talk with others. She was truly a blessed child.

"And then she was banished." Porter sighed, a sigh that was rather exaggerated, but fit him well. "There were many who mourned for her exile, but none dared to go against our king, for his word was law. However, now she has returned, more beautiful than ever, brought back by Princess Midna, the Hero of Twilight, and our very own boy, Veiviser Elipptil."

There was applause for the trio and loud shouts of "Thanks," and "You rock!" Midna took this all in, nodding her head to indicate that she accepted the gratitude. Link smiled back though he shifted uneasily. Fighting monsters was easy, but dealing with the thunderous gratitude of others was not quite as easy. He was a modest fellow, and being complimented like this brought a blush to his cheeks.

However, Veiviser was not a modest fellow. He waved his hands wildly at the people, showering them with false kisses in the exaggerated manner that often took over him. A few seconds of this was all that was allowed, as Aleron tugged Veiviser back down to earth, muttering something that subdued the boy. What that was Midna would never know, but she fervently wished that she had some knowledge of ways to make the boy shut up.

Once everything had died down, Porter stuck out his chest and began, "Now we begin the transition of power."

He carefully picked up the obsidian crown of Celestria. The gems shined brightly as he slowly held it above Kamaria's head. He did not place it on yet.

"Kamaria Reia Catalystra, descendent of our magnificent founding father Jericho Dusru Catalystra, daughter of the benevolent King Gral Cavoris Catalystra and our beautiful queen Celenia Elin Catalystra, sister of our most recent king the powerful Galatron Bludrei Catalystra, will you take it upon yourself to rule this kingdom of Celestria like your ancestors before you?"

Kamaria did not hesitate as she inclined her head and answered, "I swear on the blood of my ancestors that I shall rule our beautiful Celestria."

"Shall you do everything in your power to help the needy, fight if there is need for war, negotiate if there is need for peace, and do anything else that is needed to make our kingdom a prosperous one?"

"I swear that I shall do all that is in my power to make our kingdom have the prosperity it deserves."

"Shall you do everything to make sure that our kingdom continues to exist, so in the generations to come, our descendents may speak of us as we speak of our ancestors?"

"I swear that I will ensure the survival of Celestria and all the people who embody it."

"Then, by the power invested in me," there were a few snorts from Twili recalling his position as a gardener, "I put this crown upon your head to name you as the newest queen of Celestria."

There was silence as the crown slowly descended on to Kamaria's head. It fit perfectly and as soon as the crowd saw this, they shouted,

"Long live Celestria! Long live Queen Kamaria Reia Catalystra!" Thunderous applause followed.

Kamaria waited for the clapping and hooting to die down before rising. She cleared her throat before bowing her head down to Porter,

"Thank you." She returned the gesture to the Twili gathered in front of her. "I thank you all for allowing me to return to my throne."

As if she had rehearsed this for hours (which she most likely had), Kamaria began her speech, "For weeks now, Lunaris has been falling into a state of chaos. It would've reached the point where crime was the job of every other person if it had not been for the work of some remarkable individuals." Kamaria swept an arm out towards the front rows where Aleron, Midna, Veiviser, Link, and others who had helped in the castle stood. "I'd like to thank them all."

There was some applause, but it was cut off by Kamaria. "Also, I would like to start by issuing a method at which we can start rebuilding our fair capital. As many of you are aware, the treasury has been opened. All of you, even those who left the job, may now return to your former position and resume work for the palace.

"Secondly, I shall be asking all the guards to begin sweeps through the city. Visit anyone who was robbed, have them describe the crook, and then seek to find every criminal within this city who had taken advantage of the momentary confusion to take from others. Everyone who has done such a deed shall hereby be sent to the dungeons after a short trial to decide whether or not they're guilty.

"Before we get to the feast, I have got one final announcement to make." Kamaria cleared her throat, allowing time for the audience to mutter anxiously to their neighbors. What could this announcement be about? The gravity that Kamaria spoke with made it seem as if there was an enemy marching towards them.

"There are traitors in our midst." She announced loudly, causing various Twili to gasp in horror. Others began to look around; talking wildly while trying to determine which one of their neighbors was a traitor.

Midna cast Link a questioning expression, causing the boy to simply shrug. Both of them glanced at Veiviser to ask if he knew anything about this, but the boy was far too busy trying to search out for any suspicious Twili to bother.

"I shall announce their names now!" Kamaria shouted over the din. Instantly a hush fell over the audience as they returned their attention to their monarch. "For their traitorous intentions and plotting, I banish Princess Midna and Veiviser Elliptil. Furthermore, their companion Link shall be sent to the dungeon."

"WHAT?!" Midna shouted, outraged. Her eyes narrowed at the queen. Link reached for her hand, and gave it a light squeeze. "You can't be serious." She added in a slightly more composed tone.

Veiviser chuckled. "Yeah, you're not really serious, are you? We brought you back so Lunaris wouldn't fall. Last time I checked, it wasn't a bad thing to do." He really hoped she was joking. She had to be, right?

"We have evidence that you three have been plotting behind the backs of the Celestrian order. You wanted to control me and try to take advantage of my youth to use me as your puppet ruler. And then you wanted to dispose of me and take Celestria back as a province of your kingdom." Kamaria spoke fluidly, all the while glaring disdainfully at the trio.

"We wanted no such things." Midna said angrily. If Link had not been there to hold her hand and whisper to her that it was a bad idea, Midna would've flung herself at the young queen at this very moment.

"Of course that's what the guilty would say." Kamaria waved her head in the air. "Now, take them out of here. I never want to see their," she pointed to Midna and Veiviser, "faces again."

"You promised that you would help get Link back to the Light Realm. Are you going to go back on that?" Midna challenged.

"Traitors deserve to die. No matter how grateful we are for his heroic efforts against Zant, we will not tolerate light dwellers in this realm. He shall be sent to the dungeon to live out the rest of his meager life." Kamaria snapped her fingers.

Midna looked around, searching for anyone that could help. Morgana and Vaschel both stood, utterly perplexed as to what was going on. It was easy to see on their faces that neither of them wished to throw Midna and Vei out of the city or Link into a jail cell. Porter stood nearby, face completely impassive. Ramaine looked ready to complain, but she held her tongue.

"I'm your friend, Kamy!" Veiviser shouted, for once not caring that strangers heard his affectionate nickname for the girl. "Why would I ever want to betray you?"

"Friendships don't always endure through the years." Kamaria sniffed. "Now, out!" She waved an arm towards the door.

Before Veiviser could raise another complaint, Aleron clutched his son's shoulder. Veiviser glanced at his father with pleading eyes and a curled lip.

"Go for now. I shall do my best to work things out and get to the bottom of this." Aleron said in his usual stoic voice. Seeing Veiviser's face turn even more pitiful, Aleron added, "Don't worry, I shall convince them to raise these charges. I think you'll do fine out there." Aleron clapped his son on the shoulder.

Veiviser's lips pressed together grimly. He didn't want to leave. He wanted to fight. A glance at Midna's face told him that she wanted to fight too. The approaching guards didn't look too friendly, but they didn't look hostile either. They were simply following orders and Veiviser had no desires to kill innocent guards.

"Let's go." Veiviser said in defeat with a tug on Midna's arm.

Her fiery red eyes burned as she turned to Veiviser. "I can't leave Link." Her voice was a deathly whisper and it terrified Veiviser.

The boy glanced at Link. To him, Link looked strong enough to handle himself at the moment. Sure, there were dark rings under his eyes, but they weren't prominent. Veiviser imagined that Link could handle himself quite fine for a few hours, which is what he hoped was all it would take for Aleron to convince Kamaria that there was something wrong with this.

"We have to… Unless you want to take your chances with them."

Midna glanced at the guards before shrugging, "I could take them on."

"You would kill Twili who are just following orders?" Veiviser asked.

Midna sighed. "No…" She averted her eyes to look up at Kamaria. "But I would shake some sense into her."

Link reached over to put a hand on Midna's shoulder. She turned to him, but as he began to speak, two guards in simple armor yanked them apart.

The guard who had yanked Link was a heavy fellow and nearly caused the boy to fall over. Another guard joined this one to hold Link's other arm. The two began to drag the Hylian across the throne room, towards the doors that would eventually lead down to the dungeons.

Link struggled against him and if he had not had the Viduata Solis, he would've been able to free himself. As it was, his struggles could not free him of the tight grip of the men.

Midna raced to struggle out from the guard holding her, but he had his arms wrapped tight around her. No amount of struggling was going to help her out. Midna's eye glinted mischievously as she sent a shock of magic into the guard. The guard dropped her with a grunt of pain.

"Link!" Just as Midna began to run towards the guards dragging Link, more guards came to block her view.

She was about to send magic at them to make them scatter, but a hand on her arm stopped her. Impatiently, Midna turned to Veiviser.

"What?" She snapped, obviously annoyed at being cut short from her attack.

"Don't kill them. They've got family and friends here." Veiviser begged.

"I wasn't going to." Midna answered, still annoyed at the Twili for his interruption. She turned back towards the guards and got ready to summon up magic.

Suddenly there was a heavy thud against the back of Midna's skull. Dots swam in her vision, slowly blurring the scarlet throne room into a uniform blood-red. The last thing Midna could see was the shiny glint of metal as guards walked towards her. Then she was out for the count.

----

**A/N: …This was rather short, wasn't it? I wanted to leave it at a cliffhanger though I guess it turned out shorter than I expected it to be. I'll try and write the next chapter faster to make up for this short chapter. As always, reviews are awesome and they make me very happy! I'm sure any of you who write understand the joy of finding a review in your inbox. Anyway, over and out, **

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	15. Can Life Get Any Tougher

**Author's Notes: Another chapter to break the cliffhanger that I left last time! I typed this up over my three day weekend and I've just finished editing it. Italics are thoughts, as usual. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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"Tough times are there so you can have a good time later on—and really appreciate it."  
_-- Anonymous _

**_Chapter 14: Can Life Get Any Tougher?_**

The first thing she noticed when she regained consciousness was that her face was pressed into something wet. Carefully pushing herself up into a sitting position, Midna blinked a few times. She was in a forest and the wetness had come from the moist mulch that coated the forest floor.

Forest? For a few moments, Midna sat there, trying to recall what she was doing in a forest. She raised a hand up to her face to smudge off the dirt before moving it to the back of her head where a small pain had begun thudding. Feeling that small bump and some sticky blood in her mussed hair, Midna slowly recalled the events of the… How long ago had it been? She wasn't sure.

_All I can remember is… We were all at Kamaria's coronation. She exiled us! And threw Link into the dungeon. _She could still remember the look on Link's face as he was dragged away. Was he dead yet? She hoped not. Maybe if she had fought harder and if she hadn't hesitated in smashing the guards… No, it wasn't her that had hesitated. _Vei! Where is he?_

There was a light groan from her right. Midna turned her head to look at the fallen figure of Veiviser. The new cloak he had donned just for the coronation was dirty and torn. She couldn't tell if he had sustained any injuries, but it was probable that he sported a similar bump on his head.

"Vei." Midna called to him.

The boy waved his hand through the air, muttering, "Just a few more minutes."

Midna glared at him in annoyance before sighing. It wasn't worth the energy to be angry with Veiviser when there was a much better target for her fury a few miles, maybe many miles, away. In a louder voice, Midna called out,

"Veiviser, get up!"

Veiviser groaned again before shakily pushing himself up to his knees. The boy lifted the heels of his hands up to his face and pushed them into his eyes. He sat like that for a few seconds before opening his eyes. There had been a smile on his face when he had awakened, but the smile fell as he took in his surroundings. Veiviser's eyes fell on Midna's face.

"Why are we out here in the middle of nowhere?" Veiviser asked bluntly.

"Kamaria's guards knocked us out and threw us here." Midna replied, her voice reaching an irritated note as she said the queen's name.

"Oh yeah…" Veiviser's ears fell as he thought about the events at the coronation. His topaz eyes stared at the ground in deep thought. "Why do you think she did it? She must know we're not traitors."

"Maybe someone tricked her." Midna shrugged. "Or maybe she's just a manipulative, little—"

"No!" Veiviser yelled at Midna, interrupting her sentence. The boy shook his head desperately. "She can't be! She's my friend! Someone must have put a spell on her! Yes, that's it. That's why she's acting like this."

Midna opened her mouth to tell Veiviser that she doubted his idea was true when she noticed that two streams were slowly clearing away the grime on Veiviser's face. The tears were falling rapidly, sliding down his face as he sobbed.

"I know Kamy and she's been my best friend since we were little. She would never throw me out unless there was clear evidence that I had done something. And she wouldn't do it because of a rumor or a hint. She's not like that." Veiviser leaned his head back, the rest of his words turning into undistinguished sobbing.

Midna let out a small growl of irritation. This wasn't how she wanted to spend her day. She didn't want to be sitting in the middle of some forest, with a hysteric Veiviser was her only companion while Link rotted away in a prison cell. Why did things always have to turn out tough like this? Couldn't things go right for once?

Seeing as his crying was not getting any better (in fact, Midna was positive that it was getting worse), Midna stood up and walked over to Veiviser. Forming her hand into a fist, Midna brought the fist into Veiviser's cheek.

Instantly the insane sobbing stopped. Veiviser stared up at Midna with vulnerable eyes, sniffing occasionally but otherwise silent. His face was a mixture of drying salt from the tears, dirt, and snot.

"That's better." Midna sighed, not stating anything about Veiviser's face. He didn't need any more injury at the moment. "Now that you're back to being a civil being, we can wash up and then find a way back to Lunaris."

A smirk broke out on Veiviser's face. "You certainly do need to wash up." He glanced up at her face and then at her muddied clothing.

Midna returned his smirk. "Look who's talking."

--

Aleron stood in front of the double doors of the throne room, a few hours after the coronation's end. The feast had gone on as planned and while Aleron had attempted to approach the queen multiple times, there had always been too many guests around for him to argue with her. So he had decided to save his arguing for later when he would be able to get her to listen to him with full attention.

The door opened. "You may come in now." Porter mumbled, his head bowed. He had stuck loyally with Kamaria, but it was clear that it was simply out of job preservation. While he wouldn't admit it, Porter had begun to like Veiviser after meeting him a few days ago and the exile had shook him deeply. Not that it showed on his placid face.

"Thank you, Porter." Aleron replied.

Aleron did not blame Porter for not arguing to help out Midna, Link, and Veiviser. They weren't his responsibility and Aleron knew that the gardener had family to support. Risking his job for the sake of three people he barely knew wasn't worth it for Porter. For Aleron, if it had not been his son, he might have allowed this to pass, simply turning a blind eye to the injustice. Then again, he had always been a man of justice and this unfair punishment stirred serious problems in his mind.

"What did you want to speak to me about, Aleron?" Kamaria sat on her throne. The crown still sat on her head as she looked down on Aleron.

Aleron had stopped in front of the stairs leading up to her throne. He craned his head up to look at her small figure before beginning a speech he had planned ever since the announcement.

"I don't believe that Midna, Veiviser, and Link should be punished."

Kamaria's eyes narrowed. "Are you challenging your monarch?" Somehow, Aleron imagined that her voice sounded much more mature than it once had. And a lot more sinister.

"No, your Majesty. I just don't see what evidence there is to lead you to punishing the trio. From what I've heard about your accusations, it all sounds like the musings of someone who wants to find wrong in someone who has done nothing."

"Are you accusing me of accusing someone for no reason?" Kamaria's glare had intensified, but Aleron stared back calmly.

"No. I don't believe you would do such a thing. I just wish to know what concrete evidence you have." Aleron spoke humbly. Being humble was the way he had managed to never anger Galathron, so he hoped it would work with his sister.

"I've caught wind of some conversations the trio had involving manipulating me to indirectly rule over Lunaris. Did you know that your son had plans to chase away all my future suitors, so he could marry me himself and secure himself a place of power?" Her tone was oddly malicious, not at all the tone Aleron would've expected.

Aleron blinked in surprise. "I've never known Veiviser to be so… ambitious." Aleron settled on the word, deciding that it was one that did not fit his son at all. To his knowledge, Veiviser lacked ambition; his only goal was to live life happily. "Are you sure you didn't just overreact to some false rumors?"

"I'm positive." Kamaria flicked her hand towards the door. "Now if you don't have anything else to say, I'd like for you to leave."

Aleron barely concealed a scowl at her dismissive gesture, but he was a pro at not showing his emotions and his face stayed expressionless. "Actually, I'd like to ask you if there was any more evidence. Perhaps you misinterpreted their conversations, or perhaps someone tricked you."

"Aleron, I don't like being talked to as if I was a foolish child. It was their mistake to believe that I would be easy to play with and they paid for it. Now if you don't want to join them, I recommend you leave." The threat in her voice was clear and Aleron knew that she would be willing to carry it out.

"Very well, your Majesty." Aleron bowed his head as he backed away. "Goodbye."

As he passed Porter on his way out, the gardener reached out an arm to stop Aleron. "What are you planning to do next? I'd like to advise against any radical movements, including…" Porter's voice dropped even lower, "any threats towards the queen."

"Don't worry." Aleron replied crisply. "I have no plans to do anything of that nature." Porter heaved a sigh of relief. "But that does not mean I will allow my only son to stay in exile."

"Of course." Porter nodded his head. "Do whatever you're planning on doing. I trust you not to endanger the city just to bring your son home."

Aleron nodded his head and began to walk again. He paused at the doors and muttered to Porter. "Would it possible for you to watch the queen? I suspect that there's something off about her, but I haven't reached any conclusions yet."

"Off?" Porter's face twisted in concern. "I hope not…" He paused for a few moments, considered his words, and instantly changed his mind, "Actually, it might just be better to hope that something is wrong. Something that we can fix."

Aleron nodded his head in agreement before walking outside. He glanced up at the dusky sky of the Twilight Realm. Was his son okay out there?

--

"Cannonball!" Veiviser's cheerful yell startled Midna out of the contemplative silence that had taken over once they began their search for water. A second later, water splashed up from the pond Veiviser had jumped in, drenching Midna.

She glared testily at the water before smirking as she watched Veiviser drift to the surface, clutching his toe and hollering.

"That wasn't my best plan." Veiviser muttered after climbing out of the water. He rubbed the reddened foot that had hit the bottom of the pond in his jump.

"None of your plans are very smart." Midna retorted, causing the boy to momentarily send a scowl her way before returning to tending his foot.

Meanwhile, Midna walked over to the water's edge. She looked down at her reflection in the fairly clean water. Dirt caked her face and the front side of her body from where she had been lying on the forest floor. Her clothing, once perfectly clean, were tattered and caked in a similar layer of dirt.

A proper bath was out of the question at the moment when there were much more vital things to look after. Like Link, for example. As Midna began splashing water over her face (she had decided against scrubbing out all the dirt off her clothing though she would get in the water later), her mind turned to the blonde Hylian.

_Is he okay? How much time has passed? _She glanced up at the sky, but there was no sign as to how much time had passed. It could've been a few hours or it could've been a few days. _What if he's dead? _Midna paused in her cleaning, tears glimmering in her eyes. Shaking her head furiously, Midna rubbed at her eyes to rid herself of tears.

Veiviser watched Midna silently. Seeing her freeze up, the boy waited a few moments before asking, "Are you thinking about Link?"

Midna glanced over at him in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." The boy shrugged. "If I was you, I would be thinking about him. Do you think he's okay?"

Midna glanced up at the sky again before looking back at Veiviser. "If the time limit isn't up, then I think he's perfectly okay. Well, as okay as anyone could be while in a prison cell with the Viduata Solis slowly killing him."

Veiviser didn't laugh, only went back to frowning. "If he's dead, what are you going to do?"

"Whatever the hell I feel like." Midna growled. She didn't want to think about what she would do if Link was dead. Not knowing if he was okay was killing her. Being reminded of the possibility that he was already a corpse was highly unpleasant.

"Don't take it out on Kamy. It might not be her fault." Veiviser said glumly. His hand began to trace a pattern in the dirt. "Do _you _think it's her fault?"

"I think there's a chance something cursed her."

Midna didn't say that she believed that the chance was marginally thin. How could someone creep into her bedroom while there were guards watching her? Then again, it could've gotten her before she had joined them at the castle. But that didn't make sense as to why Midna hadn't picked up any traces of a curse on Kamaria. Curses tended to give off bad waves and high magic users (Midna considered herself one) could pick up on them. Of course, it could always have been hidden away but Midna didn't know of any magic users powerful enough to do such a thing.

"We'll find a way to get rid of that curse, won't we?" Veiviser asked.

Simply out of pity for the boy, Midna nodded her head. "Of course. Nothing can stand up to me and win."

Veiviser grinned. "I'll pummel whoever's responsible to bits."

"Yeah." Midna added.

Midna finished up her washing. Dirt still clung to her clothes, but at least her face and skin was grime-free. Veiviser had washed up rather well, considering his previous countenance of snot and dirt.

"What way do you suppose Lunaris is?" Veiviser asked. He had never seen this place before, but he hoped that Midna had some sort of plan.

"I'm not sure, but I know how to find out."

"How?" The boy hadn't been expecting much, but he visibly perked up at hearing that Midna had a plan.

"It might not work." She cautioned upon seeing how excited the boy looked. "But I think it will. Give me your cloak."

Veiviser stared blankly at Midna. "Why?"

"Can you just hand it over? I don't want to waste time explaining." She snapped at him, prompting the boy to hastily unfasten the cloak and hand it over.

Midna gripped the cloak tightly in her hand. She closed her eyes and reached out with her magic. Veiviser's unmistakable orange signature covered the cloak and while it was faint, Midna thought it would do. She focused, searching for other places where his magical signature existed. Obviously the strongest location was right beside her, but she ignored this one and instead searched for even fainter signals.

Veiviser watched Midna quietly. He had recognized the look of concentration on her face from the last time she had used tracking magic, which left him utterly confused. Why was she trying to track him? Sure, his mother had made the cloak, but her magical signature would have been replaced by his. He chewed his lip nervously, hoping that Midna knew what she was doing.

"Alright, I've got the basic direction that we should head in." With that, Midna tossed the cloak to Veiviser and began walking west.

"Wait! How do you know Lunaris is that way?" Veiviser called out to Midna after refastening his cloak.

She smiled. "I used reverse tracking."

Veiviser stared back at her in confusion. He wasn't an expert in magic, but he had never heard of reverse tracking. Then again, he hadn't really had any clue on regular tracking before Midna either.

Midna sighed at his confusion. "It's not something they teach you. I was just wondering whether I could track stuff with your magical signature rather than track you. It worked though I don't have a direct fixation. We might end up missing Lunaris, or we might hit it straight-on."

"That's great! Well, the thing about us knowing the direction, not the missing the city thing." Veiviser cheered. "Everything will be great once we get back to Lunaris."

Midna nodded her head though she wasn't in complete agreement. If they arrived at Lunaris and Link was already dead… She pictured the Hylian as a cold corpse, devoid of the warmth and courage that she had grown to love. The princess shivered at the thought before stating,

"Let's hurry."

--

The dungeon cell Link had been tossed in could be described with two words; damp and odorous. The air was dank and smelled of blood, excretory results, and grime. There were a few puddles of questionable liquids that Link was avoiding. There were no cots (Celestria was not very kind to its prisoners), just some hay. The bars of his cell were made of iron and while they looked old, Link had been unable to shake them loose. If it had not been for the red runes inscribed on the walls, the cell would've been in complete darkness.

The boy sat slumped against the back of the cell. His head turned to survey the room for the billionth time that day. Words that Link couldn't translate were scrawled on to the wall, the enigmatic writings of previous prisoners. There was a system of tally marks to his right, marking out the suspected days of a past prisoner. It had reached 30 of these marks before the prisoner died here or was carted off to his death.

The only conclusion Link had arrived upon from looking around was that this cell had no weak spots to allow criminals a chance to escape. There were no soft patches of dirt in the stony floor unlike the prison cell Link had once been put in. There were no vents; the only fresh air that got into here came from the door that occasionally opened to allow guards in.

Link sighed, which sent him into a short bout of coughing. It didn't exactly help his situation that he was ill. The boy's eyes closed as he thought about the skirmish in the throne room. If only he hadn't been sick… He could've broken out of their hold and used his sword to help Midna and Veiviser. They wouldn't be somewhere unknown if he had managed to do that.

"Hey Link." A voice called to him.

Link's eyes shot open. There was a green-haired Twili standing at the other side of the bars. While he had never met the Twili personally, Link recognized him from Midna and Vei's descriptions. It was Vaschel, still dressed in the armor he had donned for the coronation. He was holding a bowl of porridge, bread, and a jug of water.

Link watched him cautiously. The Hylian had heard good things about the soldier, but he wasn't sure where Vaschel's allegiance lay. Certainly he would side with the one who gave him his pay check, Kamaria in this case. Yet… Link wanted to believe that the soldier would side with justice over money.

Seeing as he wasn't getting any response, Vaschel grinned weakly at Link, "I bet I'm not the face you wanted to see."

It took Link a few moments to get what he was talking about, but a light blush fell across his face as he realized he was speaking about Midna.

"Do you know where they took her?" He asked.

Vaschel glanced towards the door he had come through. Seeing no one there, he leaned closer to the bars before shaking his head, "I'm sorry to say that I don't. I do know they were planning to dump her and Vei somewhere in the forest, but that's as far as my knowledge extends."

"Oh."

Link must've sounded disheartened because the next thing Vaschel did was smile piteously and say, "Don't worry about her. From everything I've heard about her, she'll be okay out there. She's probably planning to storm the castle as soon as she gets back to Lunaris."

A small smile graced Link's face as he thought about Midna. "Yeah, she would do that."

"Aleron is working to convince Kamaria that what she is doing is wrong." Vaschel added.

"He is!" Vaschel chuckled at Link's surprise.

"I know that he's a stickler for rules, but he's not happy to see his son forced into banishment. I doubt he'll do anything like attack her Highness, but he'll do his best to get her to revoke her decision."

"Is there anyone else who's working to help us?" Link asked.

"Porter is watching Kamaria for anything suspicious. We have some theories that something is controlling her." Link nodded his head. It sounded plausible after everything else that had happened. "Morgana and I are setting up a contact with you. We'll be coming in periodically to give you news of the development. It's her turn next." Vaschel chewed his lip in thought. "We've got Ramaine watching the field for any sign of Midna and Vei when she's not busy cooking. There are a few guards who told us they would keep an eye out for the two of them, but we're a small group."

"I guess not a lot of people would have the courage to challenge their queen." Link smiled. It wasn't a huge group, but he was glad to hear that there were people who would rebel for the sake of the trio.

"It's rather unfortunate, but I always liked small operations better." Vaschel slowly unlocked the cage. Link's eyes widened, causing Vaschel to chuckle sadly.

"I'm sorry, Link, but I can't let you out yet. Kamaria would know if we let you out and she'd have me hung. Sit still for now." Vaschel set the food down for the boy before closing the door and relocking it.

"I don't like doing nothing." Link sighed. He had figured that being freed was too good to be true. There were boundaries as to how far Vaschel could go to help him. But he supposed not even having the strength to escape was far worse than not being allowed out.

"No one likes being helpless." Vaschel said grimly. "We'll have you out soon." He added in a slightly more cheerful tone.

"Vaschel! What's taking so long, buddy?" The gruff voice of the usual jail guard called.

Vaschel smiled grimly at Link. "Well, I'll see you later. Don't die in here."

"I'll be waiting." Link answered back, thinking of how close to death he was. There was every possibility that the Viduata Solis would kill him any minute.

With that, Vaschel strode off, whistling a small ditty under his breath. Link watched him until the heavy wooden door at the end of the hall shut with a dull thud.

Link moved closer to the food. He didn't have much of an appetite though he wasn't sure whether it was from the Viduata Solis or from the helplessness that hung around him. Still, it was best to keep his energy up.

_Midna… I hope you're fine out there._

--

"Run ahead."

There was a deep growling as the Messenger voiced his complaints to his dismounted rider.

"Please… Do this for me."

The growling came to a halt as the Messenger stopped to consider whether it was okay or not.

"You know they won't hurt me… Oh, don't give me that look. I'll meet you at the castle with them."

The Messenger stared stoutly at his rider, a whimper rising up from his throat.

A sigh. "I know you hate it when I leave you, but I'll be okay. Both of them could easily recognize you and I don't want them to know it's me. Does that make sense?"

The Messenger shook his head. To him, there was no sense in what his rider was saying.

"Look, it'll be far too confusing if they know it's me. I have to remain undercover until we get to Lunaris."

The Messenger stretched out a tentacle and pushed it against the black scrap of cloth that his rider held. He looked urgently up at his rider.

A thin smile. "They won't get me. I'm positive that their role in all this is over. And if it's not, you know I can handle them especially if I have their help. Now get going."

The Messenger took a few steps away from his rider before turning to beg once more for a change in mind.

Now frowning, his rider ordered, "No. I want you to go ahead. Now."

The stress on that last word convinced the Messenger that further arguing would be pointless. He patted his rider once with a tentacle before bounding off into the depths of the forest.

His rider watched him go with sad eyes. It wasn't that separating from the Messenger was enjoyable; it was simply a necessity for this to work. The Messenger's form had been lost among the tree trunks of the forest.

Magic enveloped the rider. There was a harsh glow and then the magic faded away, leaving a taller figure in place of the rider. The rider began to walk, the black rag drifted down to the ground as it was released.

---

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! Lol, I'm having a lot of fun leaving cliffhangers and miniscule clues. You have no idea how hard it is to avoid using pronouns in sentences to avoid stating the gender of the rider (I didn't want to use the word 'it' either). **

**Now for some questions to contemplate until my next update: Who is this mysterious rider? Why would Kamaria ever want to banish the ones who helped her out? Is there really a curse? Am I always going to leave evil cliffhangers? Are computers ever going to turn on us? Find out all this and more next chapter (actually I lie, you probably won't find out most, if any, of those questions). Reviews are always nice. I'd love to hear what you think and whether or not you have any guesses as to who the rider is. **

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_ **


	16. The Mysterious Ally

**Author's Notes: Yes, I finally updated! I'm sorry for not updating for so long. Between NaNoWriMo, school, going away on vacation, and writer's block, I haven't updated this for a really long time. And I'm really sorry for that. Please don't kill me. Now then, if you're not going to kill me, get ready for the longest chapter of Blood of the Moon (the longest chapter so far).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"Times like these, dark times, they do funny things to people. They can tear them apart."  
_-- Arthur Weasley in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling_

_**Chapter 15: The Mysterious Ally**_

"Can you… wait up… for me?" Veiviser panted out, deep breaths interrupting his words.

Midna stopped, irritation flickering on to her face. They had been walking for a few hours now with no signs of the city or any breaks in the heavy foliage. Her feet hurt and she wanted to go to sleep, but pure determination drove her onwards. A stop could end up being fatal to Link, if he wasn't already dead.

However, Veiviser's body didn't work quite the same way as Midna's. Well, either that or he lacked the same amount of determination that she possessed. Because he usually had Eclipse to ride on, he was unaccustomed to walking so far. His feet were killing him and he was breathing heavily. On top of all that, his pace was slackening now and Midna had to make frequent stops to allow the boy time to catch up.

"I'm going to die before we reach Lunaris." Veiviser exhaled slowly as he drew up to Midna. The boy put out a hand to rest against the tree.

"We have to go on." Midna began walking once more, leaving Vei to hastily push himself away from the tree and hurry after the princess.

"Can't we stop for a small break?"

"No." Midna answered coldly, still walking.

"Why not?" Veiviser whined, ears drooping.

"Because we need to get to Lunaris as soon as possible."

"We're no use to anyone dead." Veiviser muttered darkly. He came to a halt.

Midna chose to ignore the comment instead calling out to him, "Come on or I'll leave you behind."

Sourly, Veiviser shook his head and stayed rooted to his spot. Upon realizing that the boy had quit complaining and his footsteps had halted, Midna turned to stare at him. Perhaps glare would be a better word because her eyes had narrowed significantly.

"Why aren't you walking?" She hissed. An image of Link's pale corpse came to mind. "We have to get there as fast as possible."

"I'm tired." Veiviser said plainly. "And I'm going to rest. You can go on if you like, or you can rest with me."

"Vei, this is no time to be foolish. We can't take time to rest and you're never going to find your way through this forest without my help."

Veiviser's eyes narrowed. He rarely got angry, but a mixture of disappointment and fatigue had worn away his cheerful disposition. "And you would never have reached Lunaris in the first place without _my _help!" His proclamation caused Midna's eyes to widened, but she listened quietly as Veiviser began a rant.

"Even if I was desperate to return home and help my kingdom, I didn't insist that we travel without stops. In fact, I allowed you to call as many breaks as you like so Link wouldn't get tired! And now, when you're the one who's guiding me home to help Link, you're not allowing me rest at all!" Midna's lips tightened, but she made no attempts to deny it.

"You expect me to work like a pack animal! Like I don't have any limits to how much energy I have! Well, let me allow you in on a little secret, I'm only a mortal! I'm starving, my mouth is parched, my legs feel like they're going to fall apart, and I'm going to be a walking skeleton by the time we reach Lunaris! How is a dead person going to be of any use to Link?!" He shrieked before coming to a sudden halt.

Midna stood there numbly, her mind spinning rapidly. Peering closely at the trembling Veiviser, she could see the tears in his eyes and the clear exhaustion on his face. Immediately a wave of regret flooded over Midna.

And then they struck.

--

"Come in," Kamaria's authoritative voice called out, allowing Ramaine to enter the throne room.

It hadn't been the chef's idea to come in and talk to Kamaria. In fact, she would've preferred to stick around in her kitchen, cooking up some brilliant dinner and then sneaking away to scan the fields for any signs of Midna and Veiviser. However, fate was not on Ramaine's side when she was summoned to Kamaria's throne room.

"You wanted to see me." Ramaine's voice was not at all humble despite her attempts to make it so. In fact, it sounded rather impudent, clearly showing her distaste. Hastily to hide the tone, she added, "Your Majesty."

"Yes." Kamaria's voice indicated that Ramaine's tone had not gone unnoticed. "I've heard that you leave your station frequently to look out on the fields. I would like to know why."

Surprise appeared on Ramaine's face. She had been so careful in staying undercover, but it seemed as if someone had caught wind of it. Ramaine silently cursed whoever had ratted her out, wishing a long life full of suffering upon them, before turning her attention to the matter at hand.

Denying it wasn't the smartest idea, for Kamaria was unlikely to believe it. Begging for forgiveness was another option, but Ramaine was not willing to lower herself to such a cowardly thing. There was always lying about her motives and it was this option that Ramaine stuck with.

"Being stuck in that hot kitchen for a long time brings on a huge headache. I just like going out to get some fresh air and the air is best along the walls." At least that part wasn't a lie. Perhaps the gardens had fresh air, but the rest of the city's air could not compete with the freshness of the air up on the city walls. "It's quite refreshing." Ramaine forced a smile on to her face.

Kamaria's eyes narrowed. "I see." Ramaine doubted that, but at least the queen didn't call for a guard to grab Ramaine.

"If that's all, I guess I'll be going." Ramaine turned around quickly and began to walk towards the door. Only a few more steps to go and she would be free…

"Wait." Ramaine halted, quietly cursing Kamaria. "I wanted to ask you a question."

Ramaine turned around and nodded her head to motion Kamaria's continuation.

"Has there been any… strange talk?"

Ramaine felt herself shiver, but true to her character, she replied in a strong voice, "I don't believe so. What type of talk would you mean?" As a second thought, she added, "Your Majesty."

"Oh, just any talk that would be harmful towards the city."

Ramaine knew exactly what Kamaria was asking. Was anyone planning rebellion? Was anyone trying to go against Kamaria's orders for Link's imprisonment and the banishment of Midna and Veiviser? Of course, she couldn't tell the truth to the queen, so instead she played the innocent card.

"I haven't heard anything, but I'll make sure to report anything strange if I do hear it."

"I'm sure you will." The opposite was implied by Kamaria's words. "Now run along."

Ramaine hurried out of the chamber, breathing out a deep sigh of relief as she exited. Oh yes, Kamaria was most definitely suspicious of the group's motives. It was possible that she would call the others in to question them about it. With that thought in mind, Ramaine decided that she would warn the others, just so they could prepare a response to Kamaria's questions if they were indeed called.

--

There were 7 of them. Each of them was covered completely in black, resembling the assassins who had attacked them out on the field a few days ago. Every single one of them held a wicked cutlass as they charged at the duo.

Midna was fast to react, having grown used to fighting from her adventures. Magic quickly formed in her hands and she was able to surround one of the assassins in it. The assassin let out a horrible howl as his flesh smoldered away, leaving little else but bones.

She was forced to summon up her sword to block a horizontal slash from one of the other assassins. She just barely defended herself before another one of the assassins moved in to stab at her side. Midna twisted away, avoiding most of the blade though part of it left a nick in her side.

"Now is so not the time for this." Midna scowled at them, swiping her blade at the assassin's neck, only to miss and hit his shoulder instead. He dropped his weapon in his pain and she stabbed him in the chest at that brief lapse in his defense.

Midna quickly whirled around, catching the cutlass of the assassin who had originally attacked her. The two remained in a tight deadlock for several seconds, each one attempting to push the other back.

Meanwhile, Veiviser was busy handling three of the assassins. They had surrounded him and while he had summoned up his trusty club, he was finding it hard to block all the blows. He was forced to keep on turning around to hit the cutlasses away from himself with no time to mount his own attack. Fortunately, his club was much heavier than the cutlasses, so a direct hit from it would stun them for a few seconds while Veiviser moved on to block another one of the cutlasses.

This was getting rather old, so when Veiviser turned around to one assassin, expecting them to launch an attack, the attack never came. For a second, Veiviser blinked, confused as to why the pattern had been broken like this.

This bought the time for one of the assassins who had just recovered from Veiviser's earlier hit to stab towards Veiviser's exposed arm. Pain shot through Veiviser as the cutlass sliced into his muscle, causing him to drop his club. The other two assassins got ready to lunge at the momentarily disabled Twili boy.

But the fatal moves never came, for two balls of magic had come out of the forest and hit two of the assassins soundly in the chests. The duo screamed in pain before falling over. Veiviser had enough time to duck away from the assassin who had stabbed his arm and grab his club. He twisted around to hit the assassin in the shin, causing him to fall over in pain.

"Thanks Midna, I really needed…" Veiviser's voice trailed off as he noticed that Midna was still grappling with two of the assassins. She was much too busy watching herself to have helped him. But then who had…

Veiviser received his answer when a figure dressed in dark gray robes complete with hood appeared from the forest. He didn't know who this figure was, but it had helped them and Veiviser welcomed the ally. After all that walking, Veiviser wasn't sure he would be of much more help in the battle so an ally was the best thing that could happen to them. Questions on who this ally was were held off for later.

The figure released more magic that brought about the death of the assassin Veiviser had hit in the leg. It, Veiviser was going to refer to it as it until he was certain of the gender, turned around and proceeded to shoot a bolt of magic at one of the assassins Midna was fighting.

It provided enough time for Midna to stab the assassin through the chest before facing her final opponent. Thinking of Link filled Midna with determination and anger. This assassin was just wasting her time! It was keeping her from walking (or at least resting since Veiviser was so adamant on the idea). It was keeping her from helping Link.

The teal runes on the Twi Blade shone brightly, enveloping the sword in a magical aura. With a battle roar, Midna slashed the sword diagonally, hewing through the assassin's flesh and bones as if they were butter. The two parts of the assassin fell to the ground, filling the air with the heavy scent of blood and guts.

"Ewww, did you really have to slice right through him?" Midna turned around to look at Veiviser who had wrinkled his nose at the mess Midna had created.

The teal glow around the Twi Blade faded, leaving just the regular runes. Midna had been staring at the blade in marvel, wondering what kind of power had just sprung from it, but Veiviser's comment brought her back to the rest of reality.

Looking at the messy corpse, Midna shook her head. "Probably not." She admitted. The sudden fury at the assassin had gone with the power that had filled the Twi Blade. She closed her eyes and muttered, "It was strange. I just couldn't control it."

"Yeah well next time, try a simple stab through the heart. Even decapitation is better. Then at least the guts aren't dripping out." Midna didn't bother to retort, still thinking about what had happened.

Veiviser, on the other hand, was thinking of their ally. He turned his head to look for it and to his delight, he saw the robed figure still standing close by. Waving his hand at the figure, he yelled, "Thanks for the help. Why don't you come over here and we can share in the battle spoils?"

"What spoils? We didn't win anything." Midna muttered before turning her attention towards the figure Veiviser had spoken to. The mysteries of the Twi Blade and its power would have to wait for later, she decided as she stored the sword away.

The figure took a few tentative steps towards them before deciding that they definitely weren't going to attack and walked closer. While most of the figure's features were hidden by the gray cloak, it was clear that it was male.

Veiviser grinned at the figure before gesturing at Midna. "This is Midna, the demanding but awesome princess of the Twilight Realm. And I'm Veiviser, also known as Vei the Magnificent and Greatest Twili Ever." Midna rolled her eyes, but refrained from saying anything. "And who might you be?"

"I am Araimak." His voice was level, with a pitch that was neither high nor low, but rather in the middle.

"Araimak?" Veiviser stumbled over the name. "Can I just call you Arai?" Araimak nodded his head to indicate that he was okay with it.

"And what were you doing out here in the forest, Araimak?" Midna was watching the male Twili with suspicion.

When Araimak met her suspicious gaze evenly, Midna noticed that the Twili had deep purple irises. It was an uncommon eye color, but Midna brushed it off. Happening to gain an ally in the middle of nowhere just when they were attacked by seven assassins was more suspicious than that ally having a rare eye color.

"I'm on my way to Lunaris. I have business there. When I heard the sounds of battle, I followed it and found you two fighting with them." He pointed down at the bodies on the ground.

"And what business do you have in Lunaris?" Midna's voice was still suspicious.

A small smile appeared on Araimak's face. "Just business."

Before Midna could question him more, Veiviser butt in. "We're going to Lunaris too! Maybe we can go as a group."

Midna was about to tell Veiviser that hauling a stranger with them wasn't the smartest idea, but Araimak cut in. "That would be a good idea. We can keep each other safe and I've got a map that'll provide help."

Veiviser's eyes brightened even more. Even Midna was pleased to hear about the map though she was still unsure about their 'ally'. "A map? That's great! We know the general direction because Midna used some magic to find it, but we're not confident that we'll hit the city exactly. We may miss it by who knows how many miles."

"Well then we can help each other. That is, if you two will allow me to travel with you?"

"Of course!" Veiviser nodded his head in agreement, only to have his uninjured arm grabbed by Midna.

She hissed into his ear, "We don't know anything about him and you want to bring him along with us?"

Veiviser shrugged and whispered back, "He has a map. He helped us and he can help us more. And if he really does turn out to be our enemy, it's two against one. We can handle him."

Midna scowled at Veiviser, but could find no argument to combat his. It was true that they needed a more reliable way of finding their way to Lunaris. And if he really was an enemy, they could handle him.

"Fine, you're with us now." Midna grumbled. "Now let's get going."

"What about my break?" Veiviser whined. "I have an injury to tend."

Midna had to admit that the stinging scratch to her side wasn't going to make travel easy or fun. Maybe a short break was the best thing they could do. Especially since Veiviser was so worn out and even Midna had to admit fatigue.

"Fine…" She glanced over at Araimak. "You don't mind taking a break, do you?"

"Not at all. In fact, I'll go and gather some food to eat while the two of you patch yourselves up and rest."

"That would be awesome!" Veiviser grinned. "Now let's find a place away from these corpses to rest."

The trio marched off before settling several yards away from the decaying bodies. Araimak left the two to gather food, leaving Midna to treat her wound with some nearby herbs and then bind it with a torn scrap of her skirt. Veiviser waited for her to finish her own treatment before requesting that she bind his arm as well. As she rubbed the poultice on his arm, Midna asked Veiviser,

"What do you suppose Araimak is doing in Lunaris?"

"Who knows?" Veiviser shrugged. "Arai seems friendly to me, so I don't see why we need to be all suspicious about him."

"He could be acting." Midna pointed out, but Veiviser shook his head.

"I don't think so. I get an honest vibe off him."

Midna didn't point out that he had been deceived by others before. Kamaria, for example, had been far from the friend Veiviser had believed her to be. However, she didn't want to remind him of the fact lest he burst into a large sobbing session.

"Trust him if you want, but don't forget to be cautious."

"You have enough of that for the both of us." Veiviser grinned; causing Midna to tightly pull at the bandage she was wrapping around Veiviser's wound. "Oww, what was that for?"

Midna ignored the question as she tied the bandage up. "There, now get some sleep. We're only resting for an hour."

"Very well, Your Majesty." Midna smacked Veiviser's head for the title, causing the boy to groan in pain. He then laid down and promptly fell asleep.

Midna waited until Araimak returned to the camp carrying fruit in his arms. The Twilight Princess noted that the fruit were familiar, meaning that she could eat them without pondering the possibility of them being inedible. She quietly took one from him and began eating in silence. Araimak seemed to have no problems with the silence, but once she was done with the meal, he said,

"You should get some sleep."

Midna didn't like the idea of falling asleep with only this stranger to watch over them, but she had to admit that sleep sounded very appealing at the moment. "I suppose a little sleep would be good." It didn't take long for the princess to fall asleep, leaving the red-haired Twili known as Araimak to watch over them.

Araimak glanced between Veiviser and Midna before fastening his eyes on Veiviser. He sighed heavily and muttered, "I'm sorry for not telling the truth."

--

Ever since the death of her husband, Livia had been on edge. At first, she had wanted to break down and mourn the death of her husband, but she couldn't do that for two reasons. One was that whatever had killed Orson was still out there, meaning she wasn't safe. And the second reason was that until this was all over, she had to be strong for Lita. The little girl had cried a lot and while Livia cried when her daughter was asleep, she maintained a composed expression when Lita was awake.

Staying in Honap had been out of the question, so Livia had immediately began on a journey towards the one safe place she could think of. Going was slow because the family owned no Twilight Messenger and Lita needed plenty of breaks, but eventually Livia's light red eyes caught the sight of gray walls marked with red runes.

"Come on Lita, it's only a little further." Livia nudged the small girl along.

Lita looked up from the ground she had been staring at, her eyes brightening at the sight of the city walls. While she felt some fear from being so close to such a large city when she had never left Honap before, she was excited as well. "Will Aysel be there?"

"Of course she will." Livia smiled down at her daughter, taking her hand. "But she'll be going by Kamaria now."

Lita frowned. Kamaria wasn't her sister; _Aysel _was. The thought that she would have to refer to her sister by any other name did not sit well with the little girl. Still, at least she would see her adopted sister again. When Aysel had disappeared from the house, Lita had feared she would never see the girl again. However, now she would see her again and perhaps be able to convince Aysel to return home.

Their journey through the city was a quick one despite the fact that Lita kept stopping to stare in wonder at the overbearing buildings and bustling streets of Lunaris. Honap's streets had never been this busy and the buildings were all small. On the other hand, Livia was more calm, having seen these things before settling in Honap.

Finally they reached the gates of the magnificent palace in Lunaris. It took some convincing, but the guard eventually raised the gates for them and directed them to the throne room. By this time, Lita was practically skipping along with her mother holding her hand.

The guard who had accompanied to the throne room paused at the doors. "Wait here." He cracked the door open and slipped inside. Mother and daughter waited for a few moments before the doors finally opened and the guard presented with a flourish, "Her Highness will see you now."

Lita's nose wrinkled at the title. Would her own sister want her to call her Your Majesty or Queen Kamaria or whatever other strange titles monarchs used? If so, Lita would throw her sister a good punch in the head to knock some sense back into her. Well, if she could reach her head… She might have to settle with punching her stomach.

Kamaria sat on the throne, her purple eyes looking down at Livia and Lita. When Lita saw her, despite the fact that Kamaria was dressed up in splendid robes and had a crown on her head, the small girl let out a squeal of delight and charged across the red carpet to give Kamaria a huge hug.

"Aysel! Aysel!" Lita was stopped by two guards who had stepped in front of Kamaria. Confused, Lita wrinkled her face and stared up at Kamaria. "Aysel, make them go away." Directed at the guards, she said, "Go away!"

Livia sighed and hurried after Lita. She grabbed the small girl and dragged her away from the menacing guards. "Lita, that's not how you speak to royal guards." She whispered. Goddesses, if this continued on, Lita could end up dead.

"But they're in my way." Lita pouted, crossing her arms.

"They're probably just afraid that you might be trying to kill Kamaria. You know that they have to be very protective of their queen."

"But I'd never kill my sister."

"Yes, well they don't know that, do they?" Livia's words made sense, even to Lita though she didn't want them to. She wanted to be able to charge at Kamaria and give her a huge hug without being interrupted by guards. In the old days, she had been able to do it.

"I guess…" Lita looked back at the guards. "I don't have any weapons, I promise."

They exchanged glances, but didn't move from their position. It was clear that until their queen called them off, they would stay there. If only Lita had known that Kamaria had told them to prevent anyone to come close to her… Then perhaps she would be feeling less resentment towards the guards.

Kamaria waved her hand dismissively at the guards. "You can leave. I'd like to talk to my family alone."

A large grin broke out across Lita's face at the 'my family' and even Livia smiled. It seemed that even if she was a queen now, she was still willing to talk to them and call them her family.

The two guards left the room. Kamaria rose her hand to indicate that the duo stay still, but if it hadn't been for Livia quickly grabbing her daughter's arm, Lita would've crossed the distance between herself and her sister. As it was, she was left trying to escape her mother's grip while Kamaria watched with an unreadable expression on her face.

"It's wonderful to see that you made it here." Livia smiled kindly at Kamaria. "And that you were able to be crowned. How is the city doing? Everything being returned to normal?"

"Yes." There was something about Kamaria's smile that unsettled Livia, but she made no remarks on it.

"Why can't I hug you?" Lita shouted, interrupting the conversation.

"Hugs can wait for later. I want to know—"

What Kamaria wanted to know would never be discovered because tears had started dripping down Lita's face. She sobbed loudly, "But Aysel! You're my sister! Haven't you missed me?"

"Business comes first." There was an unpleasant note in her voice, a note that only those who really knew her would catch. Livia and Lita both caught it and Lita's sobbing intensified as a result.

"What happened to the sister I loved? Now you're just a big meanie."

"Lita, sweetie…" Livia hugged her sobbing daughter to her, patting her head comfortingly.

Lita struggled in her mother's grasp and managed to twist away. She ran up the stairs to Kamaria's throne and lunged towards her sister. Small arms wrapped around Kamaria's legs and the sobbing 7 year-old pushed her face into Kamaria's robes.

"Why can't you be nice, Aysel? I'll even call you Kamaria if you go back to being nice." Lita choked over the words, still crying heavily. "I just want a sister who loves me."

Kamaria watched this all with a nearly expressionless face, only some disgust flickering across her features as a mixture of tears and snot stained her robes. Livia watched as Kamaria's eyes began to glow purple. She might not have known that much about magic, but Livia did not like where this was going. She yelled,

"Lita! Lita!"

The little girl removed her face to stare back at her mother's scared face. She was confused. Why was her mother calling to her like this? Why was she acting as if something horrible would happen? There wasn't anyone here other than the three of them and which one of them would actually hurt her.

That's when scarlet magic wrapped around Lita's torso. The little girl screamed before realizing that while the magic stung her slightly, it didn't actually cause her any real pain. Lita blinked a few times before looking down. She was suspended several feet above the throne room by a supple rope of magic.

Livia was shrieking at Kamaria. "What do you think you're doing?! Put her down right now."

A smirk appeared on Kamaria's face. "I can, but I'm not going to."

"You're not Aysel! The real Aysel would never do this to me!" Lita cried from where she was suspended. Truthfully, Lita was more than frightened. She was terrified out of her mind. The thought that her dear sister had changed into someone who didn't care if others got hurt bothered her greatly.

"I am Kamaria and that is it." The queen growled, causing more tears to fall from Lita's eyes.

"Put her down, Kamaria. Please." Livia begged. She didn't think that Kamaria would actually kill Lita, but the possibility of it lurked in the depths of her mind. Losing Lita only a few days after losing Orson would kill Livia.

Kamaria seemed to consider this for a few moments before agreeing, "Very well." Slowly the magic tendril lowered Lita to the floor. Once she was released, Lita ran into her mother's embrace.

"Guards, show them to a room." Kamaria commanded.

"One of the special ones?" Special ones? The idea of a special room did not sound very attractive when said in such a voice.

Kamaria pursed her lips before nodding her head. "Yes, one of the special ones."

"Wait, what's a special one?" Lita shouted, but she received no answers.

The guards who had come to lead them towards the room whispered softly to them, "Just go quietly. We don't want to have to force you."

So quietly they went, Lita casting a final glance back at her sister. No, Kamaria was her sister no longer. This thing on the throne was not the caring Aysel who had played with Lita. It was something else.

----

**A/N: So… Who is this mysterious Araimak? Is he who he says he is or is he someone else? What exactly is a "special room"? What is wrong with Kamaria? Who are the assassins and who do they work for? When will you learn all the answers? Well, I can tell you the answer to the last one. You probably won't learn all of them next chapter, but I can guarantee you that you'll learn at least one of the answers. Until next time,**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	17. It's Easy, Too Easy

**Author's Notes: Another update before I'm back in school! I'm sorry to say that I probably won't update soon after this because I've got basketball practice along with a lot of homework to work with now. Still, I'll be typing it up bit by bit to eventually get the next chapter up. Until then, thank you for your reviews and enjoy the latest installment of **_**Blood of the Moon**_**!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover."  
_-- Anonymous _

_**Chapter 16: It's Easy, Too Easy **_

Shortly after the two had woken up (Veiviser had only come to after some prodding from Midna), their long walk to Lunaris continued. For now, they relied on Midna's compass-like directions though Araimak's map was held at the ready for when they got closer to distinguishing landmarks around the city.

The walk was a silent one except for the crunching of twigs, the whistling of the wind in the branches above, and the screeches of the Kangarocs flying overhead. They were each lost in their own thoughts; Veiviser was wondering what had happened to Kamaria, Midna's thoughts were on Link, and Araimak's… Well, let's keep those a secret for now.

Finally Veiviser asked the classic and often annoying question that had begun to bug him a while back, "How much longer do we have to walk?"

Midna glanced at Veiviser before looking at Araimak who simply shrugged and replied, "We've got to keep walking until we hit the stream. I'm not sure when that'll be."

Veiviser sighed loudly. He was tired of walking especially since there was such a complete silence hanging over them. Talking might help him, if not with his fatigue, then it would at least entertain him. "So… Does anyone have any plans as to how we're going to get to the palace without guards alerting Kamy? And what we're going to do once we get there?"

Midna pursed her lips. "We'll use magic to bust in. And once we're facing Kamaria, we'll try diplomacy. If that doesn't work, we'll go straight into forcing her to free Link and send him back."

Veiviser frowned. "I don't want to hurt her."

Midna rolled her eyes. "It's not like you can do much with your injured arm. I'll do the dirty work, you can handle the diplomacy."

"Just don't rough her up too badly." To Veiviser, she was still his good friend… Well, at least he hoped the parts that had been his good friend were still inside. Maybe she was already regretting the decision to banish them. Veiviser had heard that girls got rather prickly every once and a while upon reaching a certain age. Maybe she had reached that age and that had resulted in her overreacting to something like a rumor. Yeah, that made sense.

"I'll do whatever I need to do." Unlike Veiviser, Midna wasn't making any excuses towards Kamaria's behavior.

"What about you, Arai?"

Araimak blinked, startled out of his own thoughts on the subject. "What do you mean?"

"Do you want to come and help us talk some sense into Kamy?" When Araimak didn't answer, Veiviser guessed that perhaps the mysterious Twili didn't know about the new queen of Celestria yet. So he quickly informed Araimak, "Kamy, or Kamaria as most people call her, is our new queen. She's only 12 like me and she's been my friend for a long time… Except she's been acting a bit strange lately." Veiviser had been smiling as he spoke adoringly of Kamaria, but the smile dropped when he thought about her recent actions.

At the end, he repeated his question, "So, do you want to help us with Kamy?"

"We'll see about that." It wasn't a satisfactory answer and Veiviser was about to argue it when Araimak kept on speaking, "Have you considered that she might not be…herself?"

"Of course she's not herself." Veiviser chuckled. "The regular Kamy would never banish her friend."

Midna added, "If you mean that she might be under a curse, we have considered the option. Why, do you think so?" Midna didn't know this stranger's past, but she had a feeling he knew a lot more than he was letting on. The question was why was he withholding that information. Had he known Kamaria?

"Well, it just crossed my mind as a possibility." Araimak shrugged and turned away.

Midna's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Do you happen to know anything about this?"

Araimak shook his head slightly, his red hair falling to obscure his face under its hood. He moved it away with his hand, showing the red markings that ran in the typical Twili rune designs.

Midna watched all this carefully before remarking, "You know there aren't many Twili with red markings like yours." Maybe it was her imagination, but it appeared as if his shoulders had momentarily stiffened. "Purple eyes aren't that common either."

Veiviser blinked in surprise. _Why is Midna questioning him like this? …But she has a point. It's not very common for Twili to have red markings unless they dapple in dark magic. Arai doesn't look like he uses dark magic… Right? Dark magic doesn't explain his eye color either. _

The boy looked hard at Araimak, trying to see if there was any hint of maliciousness on the Twili. Yes, he had robes like some evil warlocks, but his dark gray robes looked more like someone trying to avoid detection… Did that mean he was evil? His face was almost always hidden by the shadow of his cloak, but his purple eyes could still be seen, shining brightly. They weren't shining with malice. At least Vei didn't think so.

"I was born with it." Araimak said in a rather stiff voice.

He wasn't lying, that much Midna was certain of. But she also knew that he wasn't telling the whole story. "Who are you, really?"

Araimak smiled slightly. "I am who I am."

Midna resisted the urge to wring his neck for the riddle. "Yes, and who exactly is that? What are you doing going into Lunaris at this time?" More questions nearly rolled off Midna's tongue, but she kept them in.

Veiviser sighed, "Midna… Can't you just trust him as our friend for now?" It wasn't that Veiviser wasn't curious; he was very interested in Araimak's secrets, but he didn't want to doubt Araimak's friendship.

"Everyone has their secrets, Princess." Midna glowered at him, but Araimak continued. "I ask that you quit your questions and be satisfied with knowing that I am on your side." His eyes slid over to look at Veiviser. "And that means you too, Vei."

"Hey, I wasn't asking questions!"

Midna scowled. "Fine, but first sign that you're doing something shifty and you're going to wish you had spilled your guts to me."

Araimak flinched slightly. "Let's just continue walking."

--

The sounds of footsteps woke Link up from the nap he had taken to conserve his energy. Cautiously, the boy opened one eye to watch the door. It had only been a few hours since Vaschel had visited, so Link couldn't see why the Twili or his sister would be coming in anytime soon. And if it wasn't them, it could be Kamaria to see Link put to death.

It turned out to be neither of them, just some guards of no specific interest to Link. However, the people they were leading definitely evoked interest in Link.

_More prisoners… Who could they be? _He wondered if they had found out that Vaschel was trying to help him. Or any of the others? Was it one of them? Link wanted to remain lying down, so the guards would be deceived as to just how much energy he had left but he also wanted to be able to see the prisoners. Was it Midna and Veiviser? Link shivered, thinking of the duo being locked away in a cell similar to his. Midna… In a dirty cell like this. The thought was an unpleasant one.

In the end, his worry came to nothing as he caught the sight of blonde hair. At first Link was confused as it wasn't a very common hair color among the Twili before recognizing the small figure. _Lita! What's she doing here? She didn't seriously try to follow Kamaria to try and convince her to come home, did she? _

Lita was holding someone's hand. Someone with teal runes and orange hair streaked with very light orange that was tied up into a bun. Link recognized her as Livia after a few moments of examining her out of the corners of his eyes.

But what were they doing here? Even if the two had come here to talk to Kamaria, she wouldn't have thrown them in the dungeon, would she? It was true that she had thrown Veiviser into the forest despite their friendship. Link frowned as he tried working it out. So either she was crazy or she wasn't acting on her own. Both options were grim, but Link much preferred the latter.

"Mommy, why are we here?" Lita's voice, even at a whisper, seemed quite loud. He could see her grip tightening on her mother's arm as she took in the dungeon's sights and smells.

Link didn't hear Livia's response, her whisper was actually quiet unlike Lita's, but he could see that she was trying to comfort her teary daughter. The guards looked on with some guilt written on their otherwise stoic faces. Even they didn't like throwing a small child and her mother into a cell.

"Here we go, two separate cells." One of the guards, Link guessed he was the leader of the small troupe, gestured at two cells across from Link's.

Lita let out a wail and clutched her mother's arm tighter. "Nooooo! I can't leave my Mommy." She glared at the guards, challenging them to tear the two apart. Livia's arms wrapped around Lita.

"Can't you understand that a mother and her child need to be together?" Link watched in admiration. Taking a stand against armed guards who probably had orders to rough her up if they needed to was a brave thing to do.

The guards sent each other nervous glances. They didn't know what to do. It was simple enough to just tear them away from each other, but the guards weren't completely inhumane. They didn't like imprisoning citizens of Celestria who had done nothing wrong especially since those citizens were a little girl and her mother. Causing them even more despair by keeping them in separate cells made it worse.

"Maybe we can just let them be together. They'll still be down here out of the way like Her Majesty wanted them to be." One of the guards finally spoke up, his words clearly addressed to the group leader. "And it's not like she'll come down to check on them anyway."

Slowly the leader nodded his head before turning to look at Lita and Livia. "Now you two just go into that one quietly and we won't have to separate the two of you. You got that?"

Lita looked like she was going to complain about it, but her mother placed a hand over her mouth before she had the chance. Livia smiled kindly at the guards and murmured, "Thank you so much."

Livia led Lita into the cell and the door closed behind them. On their way out, the guard who had spoken on their behalf glanced back at Link. Quickly the Hylian shut his eyes. "I would've expected more of a challenge from the Hero." He murmured loudly enough for the others to hear.

One of his companions clapped the guard's arm and replied loudly, "Yeah well, expectations just lead to disappointment."

A frown appeared on Link's face. He didn't like the way they talked about him even if they were right. He wasn't fighting, at least visibly. He wasn't doing anything, but lying around in this cell and storing up energy to prolong the Viduata Solis as much as possible. So far he figured he had done an okay job at it.

Once the door closed with a thud and a few minutes of silence had gone by, Lita's voice called out to Link. "Is it really you, High-lee-in boy?" A brief smile appeared on Link's face as he recalled his first meeting with Lita before it disappeared under the weight of their setting.

"Yeah, it's me." He edged to the back of the cell and pushed himself up into a sitting position. Finally he got his first good look at Lita and Livia. They looked similar to how they had looked the last time Link had saw them except they appeared skinnier, dirt from travel caked their skin, and tears streaked Lita's face. At least she looked happy to see him unlike last time when she had told him and his friends to go away and leave her sister alone.

"What are you in here for?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Link replied before adding, "Kamaria just decided to throw me into here."

Lita ignored his implied question, instead asking another, "And what about your friends?"

Link frowned. "They're in the forest. Somewhere." He supposed that it was better that they were free, but he didn't like the thought of them lost somewhere in the woods.

"Oh…"

"Why are you here?" Link asked, seeing as it looked like neither of them was going to talk about it without some prodding.

"We came here to visit Aysel!" Lita exclaimed happily before frowning, "And well… Because Daddy told us to run."

Link was about to ask run from what, but Livia slightly shook her head. A questioning expression took over Link and Livia mouthed, "Later." This greatly intrigued Link, but he didn't ask anything else. It was clear that whatever this was about was a bad subject.

To get away from the topic of Orson, Link asked, "I meant why are you stuck in the dungeon like me."

Lita frowned, her eyes getting watery again. It seemed as if this was another bad subject. "Well, we came here to visit Aysel, but we didn't find my sister. We found a monster that took the form of her body."

"Oh Lita…" Livia spoke gently, draping an arm around her teary daughter. "Don't say such things."

"But it's true." Lita crossed her arms.

"Why, what happened?"

Quickly Livia related the scene that had played out upstairs. First banishing her friend (and Midna), then imprisoning the people she hadn't wanted to leave behind in Honap. Link's brow furrowed as he pondered over the enigma. It just didn't make any sense.

Seeing Link's face, Lita muttered, "See, I told you she was a monster now."

Link couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Something's definitely up."

"We have to get out of here!" Lita decided. She looked at Link. "You're the Hero, right? Well, can't you escape?"

"I dug my way out of the last cell I was in. But their maintenance was far poorer." He didn't add that the only way he had managed to dig his way out was because he was a wolf. "There aren't any spots in this cell that aren't made of stone."

"And you don't have any of your stuff to work with either, do you?" Link shook his head, causing Lita to sigh unhappily. "Then we're stuck here forever."

Livia patted her daughter's back. "Don't say that. We'll get out eventually whether we escape or Kamaria realizes that what she's doing is wrong."

"She should know better." Lita remarked.

"Yes well, things aren't how they're supposed to be." Link thought Livia sounded rather grim, causing him to once again wonder why she couldn't speak about Orson right now.

--

Eventually the trio had come across the stream their map marked. They had followed it for a while before splitting away from it and walking through more forest. And then, to great relief, they reached the plain that Lunaris was situated on. The city, up on its hill, could easily be seen from where they stood in the forest's fringe. It was this sighting that brought up the energy levels of the group.

Veiviser laughed. "We'll get this sorted out really quick now!" He began to whistle a cheerful ditty as they walked.

The dread of potentially finding Link's corpse in the city pushed at Midna, but above that was a level of extreme determination. If Link was still alive, she couldn't turn away because she was afraid of what she might find. She had to keep going; partly to save Link if he was still breathing and partly to sort out this whole mess of being exiled for no good reason.

"Will the guards let you in?" Araimak asked.

"If not, we'll force our way in. Right, Middy?" Midna glared at Veiviser, but the boy seemed immune to it as he went back to whistling.

Midna sighed before glancing at Araimak. "Have you decided what you're doing yet? You don't need us anymore, so if you want easy entrance into the city, go on ahead of us."

"But it'd be better if you stayed, Arai." Veiviser added.

Araimak glanced at the two before fixing his eyes on the city. On one hand, he wanted to stay with them to make sure they got to the castle. On the other hand, he had to fetch something first and only then could he go to the castle to help them. Momentarily he shut his eyes before opening them again. "As much as I'd like to stay, I have something I have to look into first. You'll be alright on your own."

Veiviser's face fell. "But I really thought you were going to help us out with Kamy…" Clear disappointment was evident in Vei. Midna was mildly shocked that Araimak had chosen to split away, but she couldn't blame him. Even if he hadn't had business, sneaking in with two fugitives would've been tough.

Araimak offered a small smile. "I'll come to the castle once I get what I need. I promise."

Veiviser watched him carefully before holding up his pinky finger. "Swear?" There was no hesitation as Araimak grabbed Veiviser's pinky with his own and shook on it. Midna thought it looked rather ridiculous, a grown man and a boy (a very tall boy, but still a boy) pinky-swearing.

He pulled away and nodded his head in farewell. "I'll see you later." With that, he split away from them and began his own route towards the city.

"Bye Arai," Veiviser waved and Midna murmured, "Good-bye Araimak."

With Araimak no longer their companion, Midna and Veiviser resumed their walk towards the city.

"Araimak will be there, won't he?" Veiviser's face certainly looked uncertain. Sometimes Midna forgot that he could be insecure about things, but moments like this made her remember that he was still quite young and needed reassurance.

"You're the one who pinky-swore with him, weren't you?" Midna asked teasingly.

"Yeah…" Veiviser glanced at the ground. "Do pinky-swears still hold as important contracts to older people?"

"No." Midna admitted, causing Veiviser's face to drop. "But who knows? Araimak's odd. Maybe he'll honor it. And aren't I supposed to be the one doubting our ally?"

Veiviser chuckled. "I know, but sometimes…" He shrugged. "I just wonder."

With that sentence, they resumed silence. The city's walls were growing quite large now and Midna had to crane her head back to see which guards were on duty. Maybe they would let them in, depending on who it was and how intent they were on following orders.

The two guards were unfamiliar to Midna, which made her heart drop. However, seeing that the younger one was holding a bottle and the older one was chewing on a grass shoot revived her spirits. Perhaps they would be easy to fool.

Watching them from above, the older one chewing his grass shoot nudged his partner's side. "Look, what we have down der. "

Swallowing another mouthful of liquid, the younger one peered over the edge of the wall. In a loud voice, he answered, "Well if it ain't the banished princess and the kid. I never thought I'd see dem again, Ratch. Should we let dem pass?"

Yes, it was Ratch and Drave who were on duty. They were no longer playing card games like they had been before Kamaria's arrival, but they weren't quite as serious about the work as other guards would've been. Mostly they just held long conversations with one another and indulged in their personal habits while watching any newcomers for signs of suspicion and investigating any carts that were going into the city.

"Idiot, we'd be hung if the queen knew we was letting dem in." Ratch hit Drave's head. "Let's go." He jumped down from the wall, followed by Drave.

Midna tensed and muttered to Veiviser, "It looks like we're being stopped. Get ready to subdue them."

"Got it." Veiviser got ready to summon his club.

"Hey there," Drave began, but he was cut off before he could say another word.

"Y'all are supposed to be banished. Why are ya back?" Ratch asked, spitting his grass shoot to the side.

"We need to knock some sense into the queen." Midna replied icily. She didn't want to strike without provocation, but she also didn't want to be wasting time talking to these two.

"Well, why don't y'all turn around and walk 'way back into the forest." It wasn't a question; it was an order from Ratch. Midna refrained from hitting him for ordering her around.

Just as Veiviser got ready to summon his club and swing it at Ratch's skull, Drave interrupted Ratch, "Now lookie here, Ratch. Maybe it would be better to let dem through. The queen has been acting mighty strange."

"How would you know, idiot? You never talked to her in your life." Ratch replied meanly.

Drave glared. "So? A fella can tell and it's all folks talk about at the tavern." He looked back at Midna and Veiviser. "These two brought her back and I don't think dey would harm her. Right, y'all?"

"I would never hurt her." Veiviser swore. Midna wasn't so sure about herself, so she simply nodded.

"See, they just be trying to help. Nothing more." Drave looked at Ratch. "Let dem through, Ratch."

"You know nothing, you idiot." Ratch muttered before closing his eyes. "I suppose we could let dem pass so long as dey tells her that y'all knocked us out."

"Knocked us out after a long struggle where we almost overwhelmed y'all." Drave added.

"Fine," Midna grumbled.

"Well, dey said dey would. Ain't that good enough fer ya, Ratch?"

"Go on." Ratch grumbled. "But I ain't taking the blame of losing de fight."

The two guards ushered Midna and Veiviser through. Drave muttered, "Good luck. Y'all gonna need it if dem rumors be true."

Veiviser wanted to ask what rumors, but after a reassurance that information from a bar was generally wrong (unless that bar was owned by someone reliable like Telma), he followed Midna through the streets. Some Twili stopped to stare at them, but it seemed as if no one wanted to halt them. There were even a few Twili who muttered their good wishes to the duo.

"If I knew we would get so much support, I would've brought myself a chariot to ride in." Veiviser muttered, amused by the thought of himself in a fancy chariot.

Midna rolled her eyes. "We'll still need to sneak into the castle someway. I doubt the guards there will be so lenient."

"I suppose," Veiviser shrugged, slightly disappointed that his dreams of a chariot wouldn't have worked out.

The black walls of the castle soon loomed over them though neither made any moves to get within eyesight of the guards perched at the top of the castle's walls.

"Should we take them out?" Veiviser asked.

"Unless you know any hidden pathways into the castle?"

"Nope," Veiviser shook his head before adding with a broad grin, "But that would've been really cool."

"Well, hopefully this meets with your expectations of cool." Two bolts of magic fired out from Midna's hand. Each one struck one of the guards, causing them to fall over and disappear behind the walls.

Veiviser watched this in mild horror. "Nothing happened to them, right?"

"They're not dead if that's what you mean." Midna replied. "Now we just need the drawbridge down and everything's good."

"And how do we do that?" Veiviser asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm working on it." Midna replied when her eyes caught a figure on the wall. "I missed one." She growled and got ready to hurl another bolt at the moving figure.

"No!" Veiviser grabbed Midna's arm. "I think it's a friend."

Midna watched as the magenta-haired Twili stopped above the drawbridge, which immediately began to lower itself.

"And so it is a friend…" Midna murmured. "It's Ramaine, but what's she doing out here?"

When the drawbridge fell to the ground, Midna and Veiviser hurried across. As Ramaine began to rise it up again, Midna asked, "What are you doing out here?"

The girl smiled. "I was just getting some fresh air." Of course, she had ulterior motives for the excuse and Midna realized them. She returned the girl's smile.

Veiviser waved at Ramaine. "Can you stay there?"

She shook her head. "I need to get back to the kitchen. Is it vital?"

"We have a friend who'll be coming in a little bit. Can you let him through? Please."

Ramaine considered it before sighing, "Fine… How do I know it's him?"

"His name's Araimak. He's got purple eyes and red runes. Can't miss him."

Ramaine's brow was creased as she thought about Veiviser's description. Purple eyes, red runes… There was only one person Ramaine knew like that, but she wasn't male. "I'll keep an eye out." She promised Veiviser. "Kamaria should be in the throne room. She hardly leaves it."

"Thanks. Now come on, Vei. We need to go." Midna motioned for Veiviser to follow her.

As the duo began to cross the path towards the palace, Midna heard Ramaine shout, "Oh and Link's alive." The assurance made Midna's heart feel lighter and she smiled.

--

Lita had finally fallen asleep, much to Link's relief. He had enjoyed talking with the girl with her usually fiery spirit, but it was tiring and he wanted to know what Livia had to say. Finally it was time for Livia to talk, but the Twili hesitated.

Kindly Link encouraged her. "It'll be okay."

Finally he managed to coax the story out of Livia. She spoke quietly, her eyes staring at the floor. Link could tell she was trying very hard not to cry from her constant stops to clutch her eyes shut or rub at them with her hands.

"I'm sorry." Link finally said at the end. "Orson was…" The only time Link had known Orson the man had been an opponent, something keeping them from accomplishing their goal. Words to describe Orson came to Link's mind and he said them without a trace of deceit, "He was a brave man who must've loved his family a lot to do everything he did."

Livia smiled sadly, the words clearly making her feel better. "Yes he was. Sometimes close-minded and unbelievably stubborn, but it was always to keep us safe and together."

"It was someone in black robes, right?"

Livia nodded her head. "I didn't see it, but Lita told me that the figure was tall and that she couldn't tell whether it was a man or woman."

"Maybe…" Link whispered aloud, thinking of the black-cloaked assassins in the field. Could it be their leader or their client?

"What? Do you have any idea who the murderer was?" Livia's eyes were burning fiercely. She wasn't much of a fighter, but anyone would want to get revenge for their dead husband.

"Not really, but we got attacked by some assassins wearing black. They might be related to whoever killed your husband." Link's eyes brightened as he considered the possibility. "Maybe whoever did it is still working. Do you know what it wanted?"

"No. I never spoke to it and Lita never told me anything about what it wanted." She looked down at the sleeping child. "I don't think she heard anything. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, I was thinking that maybe this thing is what's causing Kamaria to act like this… I doubt it was after your husband, so the only logical person it would hunt after in your household is the princess. So maybe it's doing something to her now that's making her like this." There were so many gaps in the theory, but Link didn't really care. To him, it was a sound idea.

Livia thought over it before smiling. "It's a better thought than Kamaria doing this out of her own freewill."

Link's head was spinning rapidly. He wanted to tell Midna what he had thought up, see if there was any possibility for this type of work by use of magic, see if she thought it was plausible. And if it was true, it could prepare her to fight someone who knew how to use magic. If only, if only.

A chill ran up Link's spine and suddenly he felt the familiar clammy feeling of the Viduata Solis pulling him away from the realm of consciousness. No amount of struggling kept him from the penetrating darkness and he fell to the ground.

----

**A/N: And that's it for today, folks! Parts of this chapter were very hard for me to write, but I wanted to finish before school started again, so I kept on writing. Originally I was going to write a bit more until Araimak's arrival, but I decided against it. Sorry. I also couldn't resist bringing Drave and Ratch back because they're so much fun to write and while I didn't enjoy this scene as much as their last, I still liked it.**

**Come back next time to find out what the confrontation with Kamaria will spell for the heroes and to learn the mystery behind Araimak! And did Link just die or is it just another fainting spell? See you next time,**

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_ **


	18. Discarding the Masks

**Author's Notes: Well, basketball is winding to a close and I've got a weeklong break ahead of me. That means that along with this update, you should get another update sometime in the next week! So enjoy this chapter and the knowledge that you won't have to wait long for the cliffhanger to be resolved! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when everyone has to throw off his mask?"  
_-- Soren Kierkegaard _

_**Chapter 17: Discarding the Masks **_

This was it. The final obstacle before they confronted the queen, two large doors flanked with two guards holding spears. Both guards bore the Celestrian crest and both watched Midna and Veiviser warily.

"You are not allowed here." One of the guards spoke, his voice booming in the entry room. "Leave now." The threat hung silently in the air.

Midna scowled at him. "We need to speak to Queen Kamaria. Let us pass." _Or you'll end up with a large bruise when you awaken. _She wanted to say it, but wisely kept her mouth shut.

"We can't do that." The guard refuted. He raised his spear up and brandished the tip towards the duo. "We've been given orders to keep you out if you returned." Seeing as they hadn't been gouged yet, it was clear that the guards didn't really want to hurt them.

Midna narrowed her eyes at them, but was interrupted by Veiviser hollering, "For Kamy!" He lunged forward, club appearing in hand, and banged it over the surprised guard's head. The spear fell first and then the guard's body crumbled after it.

"Vei… What did we say about me doing all the business while you stand off to the side, doing nothing?" Midna muttered, shaking her head. All hopes of negotiating with the remaining guard were dashed. Oh well, she had to admit that Veiviser's method worked rather nicely.

The remaining guard banged the butt of his spear against the floor and opened his mouth to bellow a warning. However, a bolt of magic from Midna knocked him out for the count before he could do any damage.

Veiviser sported a large grin as Midna approached him and the double doors. "Well, didn't that work out nicely?"

"It worked." Midna nodded her head in agreement. "But next time, do what you're told."

"Even if what I'm told is wrong?" Veiviser asked with a tilt of his head.

"If I say it, then it's right." Midna countered. "If we do end up having to fight Kamaria, you have to listen to me. There could be someone working behind the scenes and we don't need you hurt because of some misplaced sense of heroism."

Veiviser scowled. "I don't have a misplaced sense of heroism."

Midna rolled her eyes. "Just follow my orders." She didn't wait for his reply as she placed a hand on the throne room doors and forced her magic into it.

They slid open easily, revealing the long chamber that was the throne room. At the end, Kamaria sat on the throne in the same set of black robes lined with crimson that she had greeted her adoptive family with.

"I thought I told you not to let any…" Kamaria's voice faded away as she noted how she was talking to. Instantly her purple eyes narrowed. "What are you two doing back here? I banished you."

"Hello to you too." Midna replied mockingly.

"We're here to figure out why you banished us." Veiviser piped in. His hand tightened on his club. "I know you, Kamy, and I know you would never consider banishing your friend. So why'd you do it?"

"Because I don't need you traitors around my castle." Kamaria motioned her hand towards the door. "If you leave now, you can keep your lives, but you'll have to do it quickly. I'm expecting a guest later on."

She was curious about who this guest of Kamaria's was, but it wasn't her top priority. "This is Vei's home. He's got a right to live here. And you're not allowed to banish people without reason."

"I'm the queen. I can do whatever I want." Kamaria retorted.

"I liked you better as a princess. You weren't rotten back then." Veiviser spat. "You were sweet and nice to your friends and people you didn't know. Now you're just a..." He paused, searching for a word.

"Brat? Demon? Bitch?" Midna offered.

Veiviser nodded his head, shoulders trembling from the effort it had taken him to insult his best friend. He didn't like this at all and the fear that he might have to fight her dawned on him.

Kamaria's face contorted into one of fury as she stood up. "You have a death sentence, don't you?" Her purple eyes glowed brightly as she called up magic.

"Brace yourself, Vei." Midna warned quickly before throwing up a magical shield. There was a brief moment when Kamaria's body seemed to shimmer, but Midna didn't have time to think about it as the bolts of magic flew towards them. They hit the shield and bounced off, crashing into the walls.

A frown split Veiviser's face as he crept closer to Midna. "I don't know if I can fight her." He whispered, fear apparent in his voice.

Midna sighed. "We have to…" Seeing Veiviser's anxious face, she added, "We're not going to kill her."

Veiviser nodded his head though he was still trying to come up with ways to disable her with the least amount of pain conducted to either party.

Bolts of magical energy had continued to hit and weaken Midna's shield, but they had been unable to pierce the barrier. Finally the bolts stopped and Midna nearly dropped her shield. However, she decided to keep it up in case this was just part of Kamaria's scheme to lure them into a state of complacency.

No bolts came, but Kamaria's hands seemed to be making strange gestures in the air. Midna didn't recognize them from any spells she knew, but she knew enough to know that whatever it was dangerous. And likely forbidden, at least in Midna's kingdom. But how did Kamaria know it? She was about Veiviser's age, so she couldn't have learned it from her magical tutors before being exiled. As for learning it in Honap, well that was just too unlikely.

Had whoever controlled her (if there truly was a puppeteer behind all this) taught her the magic? Or was it just another question to add to the countless amount of questions that were accumulating in Midna's mind?

Kamaria's lips moved to mutter something, but Midna didn't catch it. A shadowy bolt, larger than the others and intersected with red crackles, shot out from Kamaria's hands. There was only a split second to add power to her shield before it hit. The bolt shattered the shield, sending both Midna and Veiviser flying against the wall.

She let out a groan of pain. Fortunately, it had been the magic of the shield that had caused them to blow backwards. While this left a few minor burns, it was preferable to the more dangerous energy of the bolt, most of which had been consumed by the shield.

"What? Another guest to join the party?" Kamaria was sneering at someone and Midna turned her head slightly to look over.

It was Araimak. His purple eyes looked at Midna and Veiviser, some sadness flashing in them before he turned them back to Kamaria with a hatred that astounded Midna. Did he hate her that much? What had she ever done to him?

"Get her away from the throne." He spoke calmly though his voice hinted at the anger within. "Rip her to shreds if you have to."

The command once again surprised Midna. It did more than surprise Veiviser. It caused his blood to boil over and his head to spin in confusion. A Twilight Messenger leaped out from behind Araimak and loped towards Kamaria with great speed. It lunged at her, leading to a wrestling match.

Meanwhile, Veiviser had shot up and run towards Araimak. "What are you doing?! Call it off before it kills her." He tugged at the man's arm. "She's my friend!"

"No, she's not." Araimak's eyes had narrowed into slits.

"Are you out of your mind?" Veiviser growled. "You're the enemy if you think she's against us." Midna's lips closed tightly to keep from pointing out that she was their enemy (willingly or not) at the moment.

Araimak continued, "She's not your friend. I am."

"I don't befriend those who attack my friend."

"There's something I wasn't…"

Before anything more could be exchanged, there was a yelp. The Twilight Messenger who had charged at Kamaria flew away from her, its body smashing to the ground with a terrible thud. There wasn't even a whimper as the creature just laid there, some smoke drifting from its charred flank.

"Arion!" Araimak shouted, voice breaking out of its calmness into a desperate tone. He left Veiviser's side in a flash to run towards the still body of the Messenger.

"Wait!_ Arion!_"

Veiviser and Midna's eyes both widened before they hurried over to Araimak's side. Sure enough, there was the characteristic crack across the Twilight Messenger's mask.

"But-but-why-Arion-helping-Kamy-why…"

"Vei, shut up." Araimak muttered, his hands running lovingly against Arion's side. In a gentler voice, he soothed, "It's okay, Arion. You did your best."

Mad laughter bubbled up from Kamaria. "So you finally came back, did you? I was wondering when you would show your pretty face."

Before Araimak could answer, Midna yelled, "Okay, Araimak, you better explain what the hell is going on."

"Yeah, what Midna said." Veiviser added.

Kamaria's grin widened. "Go ahead and tell them. Just make it snappy, so we can get to business." She sat back down in her throne and leaned back.

Araimak's eyes narrowed as he stared at Kamaria before he sighed. "Showing you will be faster."

Magic enveloped Araimak's form. His form shrunk, his clothing following suit. Slowly the features became more feminine until they were that of a young girl of about 12. When the magic faded away, the figure left was not the magician they had met in the woods. Instead it was the splitting image of the girl sitting on the throne, disregarding the differences in facial expressions and garments.

"Kamy!" Veiviser's mouth flapped open in shock and while a few blubbering sounds escaped, there were no recognizable words in his babble. Tears rolled down his face.

Midna's eyes jumped between the Kamaria sitting on the throne and the one standing by Arion. "You used magic to shapeshift… But how?"

Kamaria, the one standing by Arion, replied, "It wasn't a difficult spell since all I only changed my gender and age. As you noted earlier, my other features remained unchanged."

Midna was about to question her further when Veiviser lunged forward and hugged Kamaria tightly. "It's really you, Kamy! I knew that you wouldn't betray your friends." Kamaria had stiffened slightly before returning the hug.

She patted Veiviser on the back and whispered, "It's fine, Vei… You can let go now." Veiviser let go, blushing sheepishly and staring at his feet.

"Aww, how touching." The Kamaria sitting on the throne snarled.

"So who are you?" Midna turned to look towards the Kamaria that she now knew to be a fake. "An usurper to the throne?"

All she let out was a hollow, crisp laugh before replying, "Oh please, I don't care about having a throne or being queen. I only did it to lure her out of hiding after I failed to find her at her house." She pointed at Kamaria with a slim finger.

Midna glared at the false queen, but it was Kamaria who challenged her first. "Then go ahead and show your true form, murderer."

"With pleasure. I was getting tired of this body anyway."

Similarly to Kamaria's magic, a glow surrounded her body. Scarlet runes flashed across the surface of the shell that had formed around her. The whole shift took only a few seconds and when it was done, a grown woman stepped out. For a few moments, Midna thought her markings were a dark red before they stopped glowing and she realized that the magic had been changing their color. Naturally they were yellow.

She had long, ruddy orange hair that fell in waves down her back. It was kept out of her face by a stone ornament. Black eyes glared from blood-red sclera. Her clothing consisted of pants and a long-sleeved shirt that were made from the skin of Kangarocs. The hilts of knives could be seen from where they were stashed in bands on her pants. She was pretty, but it was a sort of lithe predatory beauty.

"I'm Sangra and you're going to die." When she opened her mouth, they could see the sharpened canine teeth in her mouth.

Kamaria's lips pressed tightly together. "You're going to die for what you did."

Sangra laughed. "You stole the words right out of my mouth." She jumped out of the way as Kamaria sent a bolt of magic towards Sangra, effectively destroying her own throne.

Midna readied her own magic, sending a blast towards Sangra. While she was curious as to what exactly had happened with Kamaria before she joined them with Araimak, there was a battle to be fought. Pleasantries and tales could be exchanged after it was all over.

To her frustration, the magic spells she launched at Sangra were either dodged by the lithe form or shielded by her own magic. Kamaria's were likewise evaded. As for Veiviser, he couldn't creep close enough to Sangra before the sorceress jumped away.

"Why are you fighting us?" Veiviser shouted as he watched Sangra roll out of the way of a magical shot. "Kamy hasn't done anything to you!" At least he didn't think so… He supposed she could've done a lot in the years of exile, but still… She wouldn't have done anything bad, right?

Sangra laughed bitterly. "Of course no one remembers."

"Then why not enlighten us?" Veiviser answered.

Midna hissed at him, "Why don't we just take her down now and forget about talking? It doesn't matter why."

"No, no, I think a story's in order to set things right." Sangra blocked one more magical blast before walking back to the decimated throne. Her markings glowed scarlet as the pieces picked themselves up and reassembled into a throne, held together by magic. Whatever magic Sangra used, Midna was sure that it was powerful stuff. "But no fighting while the story's taking place, or I'll make sure you suffer before your death."

Kamaria glared at her before glancing at Veiviser. "She killed my father Orson! I don't want to listen to what she has to say."

"Perhaps this whole thing started for no good reason. We should hear the sides of all stories before we make our judgments." Veiviser grinned triumphantly as Midna looked at him. "Impressed by my wisdom?"

"Just surprised that you're making a diplomatic effort when she's done so much."

Veiviser shrugged. "I'm just… tired of fighting." He admitted, running a hand through his long orange hair.

Sangra snorted. "This story will change nothing though my ancestors would want you to know this. It's not revenge if the victim doesn't know what she's done."

--

Ramaine was hustling through the hallways when a hand grabbed her arm. She tried to jerk away in fright, but it proved to be unnecessary when the figure holding her arm revealed herself. "It's just me, nothing to be scared of."

Ramaine's arm was released. Crossing her arms, she sniffed, "I wasn't scared. Just taken off-guard."

Morgana smiled at the younger girl. "Alright, alright." Her face became stern as she continued, "I heard crashes in the throne room. Have they come?"

Ramaine nodded, "I let them in through the gates a while ago though they wanted me to wait for a friend, which was I couldn't report until now."

"Who was this friend?"

"Some guy dressed in black. Called himself Araimak or something." Ramaine shrugged. "When I offered him directions to the throne room, he said he knew the way…"

"Strange fellow," Morgana shook her head. "Well, hopefully Midna has good judgment on whether he's trustworthy or not."

Ramaine nodded her head and the pair stood in silence for a few moments. "You should get Vaschel, so we can get Link out of the dungeon."

Morgana nodded in agreement. "Though we'll have to keep him away from the battle."

"He's not going to like that." Ramaine was smiling now, from amusement as well as admiration. "We'll have to give him updates on whether the others are okay."

"They should be fine." Morgana shrugged. "I trust that they'll be able to survive this ordeal. Now hurry along and tell Vaschel."

They parted ways; Ramaine hurrying to tell Vaschel the news of the arrival and Morgana hurrying to keep any curious guards away from the racket in the throne room.

---

**A/N: And that's the end of this chapter! Originally I was going to put the story in this chapter, but I grew lazy and I wanted to finish this up, so no story. Instead you get a short battle scene (the next battle scene will be much longer) and some revelations. If you guessed that Araimak was Kamaria, you earn a cookie!**

**Fun Fact: Araimak is an anagram of Kamaria. Don't believe me, try it out. **

**Sorry for the short chapter. I'm certain that the next will be much longer. **

**_Twilight Phantom Dragon_**


	19. The Sole Purpose of Life

**Author's Notes: I promised a second chapter before break ended and so you get a second chapter before break ends! The quote I chose for this chapter is originally in Latin, which is what I provide at the beginning of the chapter. However, at the end, you'll see the translation. It's a bit of a spoiler for the chapter, which is why I put the translation at the end. Enjoy the unraveling of secrets and motives. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

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"Saepe intereunt aliis meditantes necem."  
_-- Phaedrus (Thrace of Macedonia) _

_**Chapter 18: The Sole Purpose of Life**_

Kamaria crossed her arms and sunk down to sit by Arion's side. "Make it fast." She snapped, still glaring at Sangra as she stroked Arion's mane.

"Don't you dare order me around." Sangra hissed, her black eyes flashing angrily.

"Okay, okay, no more fighting until the story is done." Veiviser cut in. "Maybe all this nonsense is a waste of time."

Midna sighed. As much as she wanted a peaceful solution, she wanted a faster solution much more. And fighting it out seemed like it would go much quicker than listening to a story.

"Before you begin, tell me that Link is still alive." It was the one thing that kept returning to the forefront of Midna's mind. If he was dead, well she wasn't about to listen to Sangra's story if that was the case.

"He's fine." Sangra waved an uncaring hand. "The guard would've notified me if he had died. Now if you're all done, are you ready to listen?"

The trio nodded their heads, some more enthusiastically then others. A silence had fallen over the throne room as each pair of eyes focused on Sangra sitting on her magically reconstructed throne. The 19 year-old took a deep breath and launched into her story,

"A long time ago, when Jericho was still king of Celestria, he sent a spy to his rival's kingdom. This kingdom was Lilith's kingdom and in that kingdom, the spy stole a powerful blade known as the Twi Blade. He brought it back to his king, expecting riches and rewards for his deed." Sangra's eyes narrowed as if she was seeing the injustice that had occurred so many years back in this throne room. "But instead he was killed."

A shiver passed through the throne room's occupants. Because keeping things inside was never his specialty, Veiviser asked, "Why'd Jericho kill him? Did he try to use the sword to overthrow the king?"

Sangra glared at Veiviser before answering in a tight voice. "He did nothing wrong. All he did was deliver the sword and when the king found that he couldn't draw it from the sheath, he got angry. And who better to take the anger out on than the unfortunate spy who brought him the sword?"

"Why couldn't he draw it?"

"Vei, maybe you should cut out the questions so we can get to the point of this tale." Kamaria muttered to the boy. He looked down at the floor, a bit crestfallen that his questioning would have to come to a close.

Sangra answered the question with a shrug before continuing, "The king's anger wasn't quelled by this one murder. He needed more, he needed to punish this spy and his family for the 'useless' sword. So he went after the only family the spy had; his sister and her daughter.

"They had received news of the spy's death beforehand and were able to flee into the forest. In the end, the mother was struck down by assassins that the king had sent after them. The girl, named Cary, saw her mother die right in front of her when she hadn't even seen 10 years yet. She saw the blood of the murder and she saw the injustice of the crime. But she couldn't do anything about it, for she was too small and weak." Sangra's eyes closed.

"All Cary could do was go to the meeting spot her mother had arranged for, a completely black tree with no runes. There she met with a young man named Liam who had been a friend of her mother's. He raised her and while he taught her to fight, Cary was never strong enough to think about exacting revenge on Jericho. However, she had something else.

"She had a story." Sangra's eyes opened, her gaze turning haunting. "She told her child the story of this injustice when the child reached thirteen years. And while this child tried hard to become strong, she did not have the power needed to fight the king. And so this cycle continued for generations. Each time, the descendant would practice but never reach the levels of power needed to exact revenge."

Impatience was whittling away at Midna. She already knew how the tale would end, with Sangra being the great-great-great-great-something-child of Cary and the first descendent powerful enough to be a threat towards Celestria's monarchy. There was nothing more she needed to hear, but one glance at Veiviser was enough to convince Midna to stay quiet. Perhaps things could really be settled with peaceful negotiations… And she was an idiot for even considering it.

"Then I was born. My father had powerful magic, magic that was passed down to me. Ever since my mother told me the story of how we came to the forest cottage, I've practiced with my magic. I've learned how to control it and how to use it to kill. All for this moment when I could kill the royal family and allow my ancestors to finally rest peacefully." Sangra stood up from the throne. "So you can see that I must complete my mission."

Veiviser shook his head and loudly replied, "No."

There was a flicker of surprise on Sangra's composed face before the female growled, "What don't you understand about it?"

"Well… It seems a bit silly." Veiviser raised his eyes to stare into Sangra's. "I agree that what Jericho did was bad, but you shouldn't live with revenge as your sole purpose. Especially revenge for a crime done hundreds of years ago. Kamaria is nothing like Jericho and it's a bit selfish to deprive Celestria of a kind ruler just for some revenge for deeds not even committed by her."

Sangra blinked and for a slim moment Midna thought the revenge-driven woman would back down. However, her eyes narrowed once more and she replied, "I must do this. My ancestors would be displeased if I did not do my duty."

Veiviser opened his mouth to argue, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. When he turned around, he saw that Kamaria was the one resting her hand on his shoulder. "Vei, just drop it. She's not going to give in and truthfully I can't forgive her even if she did drop her plans. She was the one who killed Orson."

"Why?" This question was directed at Sangra, not Kamaria, even though Veiviser was still watching Kamaria.

"Why'd I kill him?" Laughter bubbled up from her. "I killed him because he wouldn't hand over Kamaria. I killed him because I couldn't let anyone know that I was hunting for her. I sent assassins after you once you found Kamaria, so you wouldn't get in my way."

"It was you?!" Veiviser's voice was incredulous, almost as if he found it hard to believe the dark-cloaked assassins who had ambushed him twice were in league with Sangra.

Midna nodded her head in acceptance of the answer. She didn't find it hard to believe. Sangra had just the type of magic that could destroy the bodies of the assassins over long distances if they were caught. Truthfully, it was a relief to know it, because now she didn't have to wonder what other type of criminal was after them.

"Now that we're done talking, let's get to the real business." A spear of magic formed in Midna's hand as she rushed past Veiviser. The spear shot from her hand towards Sangra.

Sangra moved to the side, but she wasn't quite fast enough to keep the spear from slicing her shoulder. She hissed in pain before replying, "My business is with Kamaria. The two of you may leave with your lives."

"Not happening." Midna scowled.

"Fine, have it your way. I don't mind exterminating you along with your darling princess." Sangra's markings began to glow crimson as she called up magic.

"Vei, I want you to stay back." Veiviser opened his mouth to complain, but Midna continued on. "Your arm is still injured from our run-in with the assassins and you're not going to be much help against a powerful sorceress."

"But I want to help!" Veiviser whined.

Midna glared at him, but Kamaria quickly came up with an alternative use for Veiviser. "Why don't you go and get Arion out of here? He needs medical attention. I know I can rely on you to save him."

Veiviser looked down at the Messenger. He didn't think he could carry the heavy Messenger all the way to the infirmary, but dragging him somewhere safer was definitely within his range of ability. "Fine…" He grumbled. While he wanted to protect his friends, he didn't really want to fight anyway.

A sudden crash caused Veiviser to jump and turn his head. Sangra had launched magic towards them, but Midna had quickly crafted a shield to protect them. "Go, Vei." The boy nodded and set to his task of lugging Arion towards the safety of the double doors.

"You can go too." Midna muttered to Kamaria who was now standing by her side.

The girl shook her head. "I can't leave."

Midna accepted the answer with a nod before turning towards Sangra. "Let's see just how powerful your magic is." Magic shot out from Midna's palm, but it missed as Sangra's body broke apart into particles.

She reappeared to the far right of them before sending a wave of black magic at them. It hit the two of them, knocking them both to the ground. Fortunately the magic had only seared their skin and while there was pain, it was much less than had been expected. The thought that Sangra was just toying with them struck Midna, making her glower. Midna was not one to be played around.

Standing up quickly, Midna drew the Twi Blade from its sheath. Channeling magic through it, Midna lashed out towards Sangra. Meanwhile, Kamaria had fired her own magic shot at Sangra. Dodging both proved too much for Sangra and while she managed to clear out of the way of Midna's magic, Kamaria's magic struck her. Sangra skidded backwards, growling in pain.

"I see that you two are better than I expected. We'll just step things up." Sangra's mouth moved quickly, lips forming arcane words. The air in front of her shimmered, forming into three large spikes. Another word sent those spikes towards Midna and Kamaria.

Midna cleaved through two of the spikes with her sword, mildly surprised that it had worked without causing any large explosions of power. To her left, Kamaria had sidestepped one of the spikes and gotten ready to send her own magic at Sangra. What she hadn't expected was that the spike she had sidestepped would turn around on its path and fly straight towards her exposed back.

"Kamaria, behind!" Midna shouted.

The girl turned her head just in time to see the spike zooming towards her. It slammed into the back of her knee, causing Kamaria to cry out in pain. She toppled to the ground, her leg no longer able to hold her weight up. There was no need to wrench the spike out of her wound, for it dissolved shortly after tearing through her flesh. Blood seeped out of the wound.

A wicked smile twisted on to Sangra's lips. "Now just to finish the job."

--

"Link! Link! Wake up!" A pause. "He's not waking up."

"Here, poke him with my spear."

"Are you crazy? It'll hurt him!"

"Use the butt, idiot!"

Link's eyes fluttered open to see Vaschel and Morgana arguing. The spear in question was already sticking through the bars, flat end about a foot away from poking Link's side.

"I'm awake." Link announced, causing the spear to halt its progress and similar smiles to appear on the faces of the siblings.

"That's good to hear, Link. I told you we didn't have to poke him with the spear." Vaschel said triumphantly, tongue briefly sticking out to chide his sister.

Morgana rolled her eyes. "You said nothing of the sort." Then her attention went to Link. "We've got some good news for you."

Vaschel nodded in agreement and continued, "We're busting you out. Midna's arrived with Veiviser and they're confronting the queen as we speak."

Before Link could enquire about the conditions of the two, Lita interrupted. "Are they going to fix Aysel and turn her back to normal?"

Vaschel blinked questioningly. Fortunately Link answered for him, "They'll fix her problem." Whatever that problem was, Link was sure they would find some way to remedy it.

"Okay!" Lita responded brightly, obviously reassured for the moment. "Since you're letting Link go, can you let us out too?"

Vaschel crossed his arms and glanced at Morgana. "What do you think? Should we let the mother and her child out of their imprisonment?"

Morgana adopted a similar pose and facial expression. In just as serious a voice, she replied, "I don't know. They may cause trouble, especially the little one."

Lita's body shook in indignation as she denied the accusation. "I don't ever cause trouble! And neither does Mommy!"

"Well…" Vaschel glanced from Livia to Lita before nodding his head towards Livia. "Your mother does seem like a good sort. I suppose we can let her go, but…"

Morgana picked up from where her brother had trailed off. "We're not entirely sure about you. We've heard quite the tales of your troublemaking and we wouldn't want you running into something you shouldn't involve yourself in."

"I'm good." Lita whined, stamping her foot on the ground. "Isn't that true, Mommy, Mr. High-lee-in?"

Link had to contain his smile of amusement at the girl's antics and the good-natured teasing of the siblings. "I can vouch that she's a good kid."

Livia added, "And I'll make sure she stays far away from the scene."

"What scene?" Lita asked with her head canted to one side.

Vaschel ignored her question. "Well, if she's a good kid, then I think we should let both of them go. But you're on your honor not to run into trouble."

Lita nodded her head seriously, still believing that Vaschel and Morgana had been serious when contemplating her release. "I promise."

"Very well, let the kid and her mother go." Morgana took the key from Vaschel and unlocked the cell while Vaschel undid Link's lock.

"Let's go, Hero. We're going to take you straight to the infirmary where you should be." Vaschel helped Link up and began leading him out of the dungeon, closely followed by Lita, Livia, and Morgana.

"I need to go and see Midna. I need to help them." Link pressed, causing Vaschel to chuckle. The Hylian glared at Vaschel, but that did nothing to abate his chuckles.

"You're in no condition to do anything. The best you can do is stay out of the way and wait for them to finish up."

Link grumbled, "I can't sit around and wait for them to finish without driving myself insane."

"I can always knock you out." Vaschel offered, gesturing down at the guard who had been standing outside the dungeons. "That's what I did for this fine gentleman."

Link took one look at them and hastily answered, "Fine, I'll stay safe on one condition." When Vaschel nodded for him to go on, he said. "I want to be close to where they're fighting. That way news can reach me faster."

"Sounds fair enough." Vaschel nodded his head. "We'll set up a place for you to rest while the battle goes on."

Link gulped, "So it's already become a battle." He didn't want Midna or Veiviser to end up hurt. Then again, what could Kamaria really do against the two of them?

"Judging from the noises," Vaschel nodded. "But don't you worry. Everything's going to be fine."

"I sure hope so." Link agreed before a coughing fit attacked him. When it was over, he could see all eyes watching him with concern. "It's fine, just a small coughing fit."

"Are you going to be okay?" Lita asked.

"Yeah," Link smiled though he was not sure how honest the statement was. "Now let's get going."

"You sure you don't want to go to the infirmary?"

"Positive."

--

The familiar scream of pain made Veiviser bite his lip nervously. He had managed to drag Arion out of the throne room and had begun mounting the steps to bring the healer when the scream had pierced his eardrums.

_Kamy! _

Fear flooded through him. What if she was grievously injured? Or worse, dead? Hanging on to life by a delicate strand? They were not pleasant thoughts.

_I have to go help her! I have to. _

He turned around and began to run down the steps. A whimper brought Veiviser's eyes down to look at Arion. The Messenger… His eyes jumped from the doors that hid Kamaria from him and the breathing Messenger on the floor.

"_I know I can rely on you to save him." _

Those had been Kamaria's words right before he had agreed to bringing Arion to safety and then fetching help for the wounded Messenger. While he hadn't promised, inside his heart he knew that it had been a silent sort of promise. It was what Kamaria wanted from him.

Nervously the boy chewed on his lip. Midna was there to help Kamaria. So long as she wasn't dead yet (and Veiviser was positive she wasn't because her cry had been one of pain, not one of someone on the verge of death), Midna would help Kamaria. No one else could help Arion because there was no one else to help the Messenger.

"You better keep her alive, Midna." Veiviser muttered before turning around and charging up the steps to find the healer.

--

When they arrived in the entrance hall, the first thing Link saw was Arion resting on the ground. He looked at Vaschel and instantly asked, "What happened?" The Twili warrior shrugged before directing Link to sit back against the wall.

Meanwhile, Morgana had told Livia to keep a tight grip on Lita to prevent her from running towards the throne room before following her brother to Arion's side. Morgana looked carefully at the burnt flesh. "Magic," she finally announced.

"But why would Arion get hurt in all this? I thought he was in the stables." Vaschel scratched his head in puzzlement.

"Perhaps he sensed something off about his master and decided to investigate."

"That's not what happened." Veiviser's voice brought both siblings' eyes up to where Veiviser stood with the healer. "The Kamaria who was crowned is a fake." There was a gasp among the assembled group.

Lita smiled smugly as if she had known it all along. "I knew something was off about Aysel. She would never send me and Mommy to the dungeon."

"Tell us everything, Vei." Link asked. "Starting with how you know she's a fake."

As the healer rushed over to Arion's side to check on the Messenger's condition, Veiviser began to relate the story of what had occurred behind the twin doors. No one dared open them at the moment lest it cause a lapse in Midna and Kamaria's concentration. They didn't want to distract them and earn time for Sangra to strike. What they didn't know was that Sangra was so close to achieving her goal. All it would take was one direct hit and then death.

--

Midna stepped in front of the fallen Kamaria, brandishing her blade in Sangra's direction. "You'll have to go through me to get to her."

"Not a problem." Sangra said with a wave of her hand. Spikes similar to the ones she had previously conjured except much smaller and much more numerous appeared around her.

Remembering that dodging them was useless, Midna channeled her magic into the Twi Blade. As the spikes flew at her, Midna twisted the sword vertically through the air in a circular fashion. A trail of magic was left by her sword and when the spikes hit into it, they were frozen in place long enough for the sword to come slashing through them. When the barrage of spikes ended, Midna smirked at Sangra.

"It'll take a lot more than that to get past me."

"I see." Sangra replied. She flung something from her hand at a speed that astonished Midna. The thing she had thrown flew swiftly through the air and while Midna moved out of its way, it still managed to slice a few strands of her red hair. When Midna glanced over to where the item had lodged into the opposite wall, she could see that it was a dagger.

"So you're not just a magician." Midna commented, her eyes going back to where Sangra had been standing. Except she was no longer there.

"I learned plenty to prepare for this day." Midna whirled around to the source of the voice, seeing that Sangra had teleported next to Kamaria, a dagger poised in one hand. Kamaria had surrounded herself in a magical shield, but it wouldn't keep Sangra away from her for long.

Midna didn't reply as she launched herself towards Sangra, a bolt of magic preceding her. It smashed into Sangra's side and sent her flying away from Kamaria. Midna charged towards where Sangra had landed.

A shield met Midna's blade as it descended towards Sangra. The Twili on the ground smiled at the stopped attack before blowing her shield outwards. The magic hit Midna away from Sangra, earning the Twili enough time to stand up.

"This is getting tiresome." Sangra stated.

"I couldn't agree more."

Sangra's fingers formed an upside-down isosceles triangle. She muttered some words before yelling, "Andask!" The space of her triangle was glowing black and from its depths a shadowy beam was fired at Midna.

Midna sent magic through the Twi Blade, causing it to be surrounded in a teal glow. She charged towards the beam, not completely sure of what possessed her to do this, but confident in her decision. The Twi Blade hit the center of the beam, sank a few inches into the magic, and then lodged firmly as if it was cleaving through something solid. Midna pushed as much as magic as she could, calling on the power of the sword to dissipate the dark magic that Sangra was using. For a minute, the blade pressed against the beam, each one struggling for dominance.

Then the blade's magic pierced through Sangra's spell, intersecting the magic Sangra had used with teal lines and turning the magic against its own user. Sangra's screams of pain filled the room as her magic slammed into her. The bright glow caused Midna to raise an arm over her eyes. When she uncovered her eyes, there was just a burn mark on the floor where Sangra had once been standing.

"_Those who plot the destruction of others often fall themselves." ~ Phaedrus_

---

**A/N: It's been a while since I've wrote something with so much action, but I think I did a good job with it. I hope it was exciting. While Sangra has died, there are still some other things to work out over the next few chapters involving the amulet and the Twi Blade. This will be quite the trip. And for those who are curious, Sangra's story is in parts of the prologue. You can probably guess who all the characters in the prologue are now as well as how the bits fit into the story. Reviews are always appreciated!**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	20. This Wasn't Supposed to Happen

**Author's Notes: Unfortunately I haven't felt up to writing this fanfic for a while now. However, I realized sometime last week that I would feel horrible if I never finished the story and I was feeling dangerously close to going down that path. I would've started this chapter earlier if it hadn't been for an English paper. Now that it's done and over with, I've decided to force myself to sit down and write this chapter… Please forgive me for my neglect of this story and please enjoy the chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

----

"Necessity is the mother of 'taking chances'."  
_-- Mark Twain_

_**Chapter 19: This Wasn't Supposed to Happen**_

It was finally over. The glow from Midna's sword diminished, filling its user with a feeling of pure exhaustion. For a few moments, she lingered, staring at the burn mark that had been Sangra.

"That was…" Kamaria's voice cut into Midna's thoughts. She turned to look at the fallen princess.

"Can you get up?" Midna asked, cutting off anything Kamaria had to say on the event.

Kamaria shifted uncomfortably. "No." She admitted.

"Well then, I'll get the – "

"Kamy!" As if payback for cutting off Kamaria, Midna was cut off by Veiviser bursting through the doors. The boy ran to Kamaria's side and dropped down to stare at her injured leg. "You're hurt!"

"Hello to you too, Vei." Midna rolled her eyes. She sheathed her blade as Lita charged into the room.

"Aysel! Aysel! Are you okay?" Her blonde hair bounced up and down as she came to a stop before Kamaria.

"Lita, darling, my real name is Kamaria." Veiviser's ears dropped slightly when Kamaria chose to address Lita first. "And it's not that bad." As she said this, her purple eyes turned to Veiviser. He grinned at her.

"It's bloody! We're going to get you help… Well, once the healer's done with Arion. He's a bit more injured than you are."

Lita interrupted. "Can I still call you sister even if you aren't Aysel?"

"Of course. You're still my little sister." Kamaria promised, giving the girl a small hug.

Midna looked away a jealous Veiviser (he received a hug after Lita, after which his expression turned dreamy) towards the entrance of the throne room. She smiled upon seeing Link, being helped along by a grinning Vaschel.

As Midna walked towards, Vaschel nodded his head in greeting. "So what happened to the wicked witch that Vei was talking about?" His gray eyes searched the room, pausing momentarily at the scorched ground, before looking imploringly at Midna.

"She's gone." Midna glanced at the burn mark. Vaschel nodded his head in understanding.

"How are you?" Link asked, looking fervently at Midna for any sign of injury.

"A lot better than you." Midna noted as she looked at his haggard face. He smiled grimly.

"I've been wors – Okay, so I haven't been worse…" He smiled sheepishly at her.

"We'll take you back to the Light Realm right now." Midna murmured, doing her best to keep her sadness from showing on her face. "Bring him over here, Vaschel."

Vaschel brought Link closer to Kamaria before helping the boy sit down. The young queen ended her conversation to look at the Hylian sadly.

"How are we going to help him?" She murmured in thought.

"With this." Midna walked over, the amulet Griff had given her in one hand. "It's an easy ceremony that will let him return home. I'm going to need your help."

Kamaria nodded. "I'm sorry for being… difficult back in Honap. I…"

"Save it." Midna shook her head. "You can talk about it after Link's back in the Light Realm."

"Right. What do we do?"

"Here, wear it around your neck." Kamaria took the amulet and did as Midna told her to. Then Midna sat down next to Kamaria and took the girl's hands in her own. Cold flooded them, chilling both their bodies down to an icy temperature. "Repeat these words with me…" Midna took a few seconds to recall the words Griff had told her before she repeated them once aloud.

Then the two took up the mantra together, "Azalen, Traque, Galef, Twilides."

A red glow surrounded the star-shaped pendant. Midna had no time to wonder why the glow wasn't blue like last time when the light overwhelmed everyone in the room, causing them to shut their eyes. Minutes passed.

"Finally! I can once again walk among the living." Laughter echoed through the throne room.

Midna uncovered her eyes, staring in shock at the ghost they had brought back. It wasn't Devincha with her yellow eyes and blue glow. He was much more terrifying than Devincha. His body was covered in simple black armor, no ornamentations whatsoever present. He had short red hair that was similar to Kamaria's hair. A red glow surrounded his floating body, ghostly tail several feet off the floor.

"You're…" Midna's mind spun as she tried to recall a portrait of this figure from her history lessons.

"Gavin." Kamaria finished before whispering to Midna, "Did you really want to summon him? You do know he has a deep hatred towards light dwellers?"

"This must've been what Devincha meant." Midna murmured, thinking of her ancestor's warning not to use the amulet. But this had been a desperate circumstance! She glanced over at Link. Time was running low even now as they inspected Gavin.

All this time, Gavin had slowly been inspecting them with his carnelian eyes. Finally those eyes settled on Link and a sneer covered his face. "What is that light dweller doing here? Assuming we're still in the Twilight Realm?"

Midna stood up and matched Gavin's glare. "We're trying to send him back to his own realm. Why don't you help us out?"

Gavin looked over in mild disinterest. "Now, now, why would I do that? He's not going to leave here… alive, at least."

"You're going to have to go through me if you want him dead." Midna snarled.

The ghost laughed. "Oh yes, because a descendent of Devincha's is a _huge_ threat to one such as me?"

"Gavin, please help us." Kamaria broke in.

Rather than the condescending tone he had adopted with Midna, Gavin spoke eagerly to Kamaria, "Ah, finally I get to meet one of my descendents." The ghost floated closer, eyes taking in the girl's condition. "I see you've just gone through a battle."

"Yes." Kamaria nodded. "Midna saved me from being killed by an assassin. Don't you think that she deserves a favor after her noble actions?"

Gavin laughed. "And why would she want to use that favor to help a mere light dweller?" His eyes flashed dangerously as he looked at Link. "They're wicked creatures that need to be exterminated. Once we lived in their land as powerful sorcerers. If we could go back to the Light Realm, we could show them our superiority. We could put them in their place."

Midna glared at Gavin. "Your ideas got you in trouble before. If you won't help us, we'll just…" She trailed off, glancing at Link. Without the power of the amulet, there was no way to help him return.

Seeing her indecision, Gavin sneered, "I see you were expecting Devincha to come and help you out. What you didn't know is that this amulet holds two spirits."

"We know now." Midna muttered. "How'd they ever manage to squeeze your big head in?"

"You don't want to insult me." He hissed.

"Or what?" Midna knew that she was pushing it. Challenging a ghost was not a smart move, but it was the only way to go since Kamaria's attempt at negotiating had failed. "We'll fight. You and me. If I win, you take Link back to the Light Realm without bringing harm."

"And if I win? There is nothing you have that I want."

Midna sighed. "Come on, there must be something you want."

"A new body." Seeing her mild confusion, he elaborated. "My current form is temporary. If I win, I want to choose someone from this room to use as my new body."

"I will not bet the lives of my friends unless they allow it."

Gavin's eyes skimmed over the watching Twili, eyes marking each feature. Finally he turned back to Midna and pointed a finger at Veiviser. "If I win, I will take his body."

"Vei?" Midna glanced over at him in surprise. "Why would you want him?"

"Hey! Are you saying my body wouldn't make a good host body? Because I'll have you know that I am a great person to possess."

"Vei, I don't think it's a compliment to be chosen." Kamaria murmured softly to the boy, placing a hand on his arm to calm him.

"He is young, but it means he'll last longer." Gavin smiled. "The younger one is, the easier it will be to teach his body the proper magic. What do you say? Will you accept the deal?"

"I'll do it. For Link." Veiviser's voice was shaking, displaying the fear that was coursing through him. However, he managed to smile and joke. "Just don't lose, Middy. I don't really want a ghost to take my body."

Ignoring Veiviser's last comment, Midna nodded at Gavin. "Fine. I accept the deal."

"Without the Fused Shadows, you stand no chance against my power." Gavin waved his arm through the air, creating a domed barrier to serve as a battlefield. Everyone else was pushed out of it, condemned to watching from the outside.

"I don't need the Fused Shadows to take you down." Midna drew the Twi Blade from its sheath. The markings flickered reassuringly.

"Ah, the sword of the Twilight rulers… I've always wondered whether it was real or just a rumor."

"Well, you're about to learn just how real it is." Midna channeled some magic into the Twi Blade, causing the teal markings to glow brightly. She wasn't sure how fighting a spirit would work, but reinforcing the Twi Blade with magic would make it a more effective weapon against the spirit. At least that's what she was hoping.

"Then I'll face you with my own blade." Gavin's hand glowed, an obsidian scimitar appearing in his hand. Crimson markings decorated the blade, but other than that, it was just as simple as his armor.

He lowered himself to the floor, so his ghostly tail was only a few inches off the ground. Then he charged. As their swords clashed, the sound of metal clanging against metal echoed through the throne room. They stayed in the hold for a few minutes before tearing away from one another.

The two swiped and stabbed at one another. Their moves were executed at a lightning speed and internally Midna thanked Link that he had given her lessons on how to use a sword properly. She didn't really want to think about what would've happened if she hadn't taken the time to learn how to use the Twi Blade.

Meanwhile, the onlookers watched the fast-paced battle. Veiviser was nervously chewing on his fingernails, his yellow eyes trying to track every move. Except for the swords hitting one another, it was silent and it was driving him crazy.

"Doesn't anyone else wish that we could put the battle in slow motion, so we could see all the moves?" Veiviser babbled, more to calm his nerves than to really strike up a conversation. "Then again, maybe that would be bad. It would be scary to see them make their moves slowly, giving us time to wonder whether one of them is going to hit. I mean it could make some people really nervous and…"

"Vei, can you do us a favor?" Vaschel piped up from where he had reclined against the wall to watch the battle.

"Sure." Veiviser's ears perked up.

Morgana picked up from where Vaschel had left off, "Can you shut up?"

This silenced the boy, causing his ears to droop. He redirected his attention towards the battle. Before he could return his hand to his mouth, Kamaria reached over and grabbed his hand. They smiled at one another before going back to watching the battle.

Neither of them had drawn blood yet. However, it was clear that the battle from before as well as this one were taking its toll on Midna. Her movements were steadily getting slower, barely getting there to block Gavin's moves. Gavin, on the other hand, was not at all tired.

"Is the little princess getting tired?" Gavin taunted, a smirk twisting on to his face. "You can always surrender and I'll let you walk."

"Not going to happen." Midna replied, barely catching Gavin's scimitar before it could hit her.

"Well, this has been an interesting learning experience, but I think it's time I finish this battle."

Gavin moved quickly, scimitar slashing through the air. Midna knew she wouldn't be able to move her own sword to block the scimitar, so she quickly threw up a magical shield. The scimitar hit the shield, sinking a few millimeters into the solidified magic. For a few moments, Midna panicked, thinking that the scimitar would just slice through her magic and go straight through her flesh. However, the shield held steady.

Gavin smiled. "So you're not out of tricks? Fortunately I've got plenty up my sleeve." He spun away, pulling his scimitar away. Then he launched himself over Midna's head and brought the flat of his scimitar down on her back. While it didn't draw blood, the blow knocked Midna down to her knees and nearly sent the Twi Blade out from her hand.

Before Gavin could bring the scimitar down on her exposed back, Midna did the one thing she had left to do; she rolled to the side. On its way down, the scimitar nicked her arm and then proceeded to get stuck in the ground. Seeing her chance, Midna rose up and slashed the Twi Blade towards Gavin's neck.

"I don't think so." Gavin reacted inhumanely fast (well, he was a spirit), quickly sending a magical wave coursing through the air. It knocked Midna back several feet and gave Gavin enough time to free his sword from the ground.

Midna raised a hand to touch the blood dripping from her arm. It was a minor wound, but it stung. Tightening her jaw, Midna's gaze raised to stare at Gavin. He wasn't injured; he wasn't even tired! There was no way she could keep up unless…

Griff had once told her that the Twi Blade contained an ancient power. He had warned her that the magic could be a bad influence, but now wasn't the time to worry about the consequences. It could be the only way to win, meaning it was possibly the only way to return Link back to the Light Realm to cure the Viduata Solis.

The problem was how to unlock that power. Midna had tried researching the sword, but there hadn't been any conclusive results and she had eventually dropped the research for more important matters. Now she wished that she had done a bit more digging around.

Feeling a bit foolish, Midna murmured, "Whatever power you have, I need it right now. So just help me out."

"Talking to yourself now?" Gavin smirked as he hovered towards her. "This time I promise that I won't miss." He raised the scimitar, pointing it towards her.

Midna's grip tightened around the hilt of her sword. _Perhaps… _With no more thought, Midna directed every last ounce of her magic into the sword. The teal markings began glowing brightly, but the glow was nothing compared to the glow coming from the onyx set in the hilt. The obscure figures that she had never looked closely at were sharpening, so that she could see that they weren't random reflections of the light. They looked like faces, horrid faces clutched in rotting hands and cruel faces with sadistic grins.

But Midna didn't have much time to mule over the importance of the figures. The ghostly blue glow was turning into a fog, twisting around Midna's hand, her arm, her entire body. Midna's heart was racing as the power flooded her veins. The pain from her wounds disappeared, replaced by the buzz of power. It felt so good and Midna wondered how she had ever gone without it. How dull life had been without the feel of this power!

"You're just full of tricks, aren't you?" Gavin's voice reminded Midna why she had pursued this power in the first place.

"This will be my grandest." Midna laughed before launching herself straight towards Gavin.

The Twi blade flew through the air, entirely enveloped in a teal glow. Gavin raised his own scimitar to block and for a few moments, the Twi Blade was pushing against it. Then it cut cleanly through the obsidian blade. Gavin only had a few seconds to stare at his broken blade before Midna stabbed the Twi Blade into Gavin's stomach.

Gavin screeched, his head tilting back from the pain. The markings on his skin changed from red to teal, as if the glow from Midna's sword had traveled through his insides and was now trying to burst through them.

"Don't you need me around?" Those were his final words before his body dissolved into nothing.

"She did not just kill him!" Veiviser stared at the battlefield as the magical barriers of the said battlefield dissolved. His mouth fluttered open before shutting and then opening again. "But how are we supposed to help Link now?" His ears lowered as he glanced over at the Hylian. He wasn't looking good. Then again, he hadn't been looking good for a while now.

"She must have a plan." Kamaria murmured. She touched the amulet that she had kept around her amulet. "We can just try the amulet again. It would work."

Veiviser brightened and waved his arms wildly over his head. "Hey Midna! Come over here, so we can help Link out!"

Midna turned around. Her eyes and every rune on her body glowed the same ghastly blue that had emanated from the Twi Blade. She strode confidently towards them, the tip of the Twi Blade pointed towards the ground.

"She doesn't look very friendly." Vaschel noted.

"Midna? Are you okay?" Veiviser asked nervously. He didn't like the inhumane glow in her eyes or the way that she made him feel like a rabbit. A small rabbit facing a very hungry wolf.

"I'm better than okay! This is the best I've ever felt." Midna's voice was magnificent, filling the space.

"Well, that's good." Veiviser grinned before adding, "Now how about stopping the creepy glowing and helping Kamy use the amulet?"

Midna sneered. "As if I would give this up." She raised her arms, holding the sword up into the air. "I need nothing more than this power." With that, she laughed loudly.

Things were far from over.

---

**A/N: I had three ideas for Gavin's end. The original plan was to destroy him, but when I started this chapter, I decided I would keep him around to help bring Link home. Then I finished **_**Looking for Alaska **_**(an excellent book by John Green that I highly recommend) and I was inspired to write some last words (if you haven't read the book, you won't get why). So he died… I'm a horrible person, killing characters just because I want to write last words. **

**I'm sorry for leaving you off on a cliffhanger. However, I've promised myself that I will finish this chapter soon. My goal is before my spring break ends and I'm going to work hard to reach it, but my writing has been slow lately. So we'll see… But you won't have to wait long.**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	21. Power or Love

**Author's Notes: While I originally meant to start this way sooner, I've been busy finishing up an audition piece for an OCT, going to a convention, and doing lots of schoolwork. However, school is over now and I've got lots of time to write! This story will be finished very soon. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

"We look forward to the time when the power of love will replace the love of power."  
_- William E. Gladstone_

_**Chapter 19: Power or Love**_

"You need more than power in life." Veiviser muttered with a frown. He raised a hand, beginning to tick off each and every item he found to be more important than power, "Food, water, a home, friends, mouthwatering food…"

Kamaria interrupted, "You said food twice."

Veiviser gave her a pointed look and replied, "That's because it's _really_ important… Now where was I?" The boy paused, staring at the five fingers he had raised. Then he excitedly yelped, "Right! Mouthwatering food, family to come home to, and love. They're all more important than power."

Midna's laughter trailed off, her glowing teal eyes focusing on the group. She did not look particularly happy to have Veiviser point out the flaws in her desire for power. In fact, her eyes narrowed.

"Impertinent fool!" She hissed. "You will die."

Before Veiviser could ask what impertinent meant, Midna charged towards him, her blade raised to slice him in half.

"Out of the way." Kamaria grabbed Veiviser's arm and yanked him down to the ground. It was just in time too as Midna's sword sliced through the air where Veiviser had been standing.

Veiviser gulped, running a nervous hand through his orange hair. "I don't like this." He stated, staring up at Midna.

"Midna, what's happening to you?" Link had pushed himself up, his cerulean eyes watching Midna. His arms supported him.

The Twili stared back at him. Her once warm eyes were now cold hollows of icy teal. She said passionately, "Power. I'm stronger than I ever was. It's the one thing that I never had enough of and now I have it."

Link shook his head. "No. This isn't you. Power doesn't complete a person."

"Shows what you know." Midna pointed the glowing sword towards Link. "Have a taste."

Vaschel and Morgana both got between Midna and Link. "Sorry, but we don't want you to do that." Both had drawn their weapons; Vaschel a sword and Morgana a long spear with a curved blade at the end.

"You really think you stand a chance? Where even Gavin failed?" Midna laughed at the ridiculousness of the suggestion before sneering, "But if you really want to test it…"

She stepped towards them, swinging the Twi Blade at Morgana. The woman quickly raised the spear up to meet the sword. There was a brief halt before the blade glowed brightly and the spear broke. Morgana jumped backwards, the broken pieces of her weapon clattering to the ground.

Meanwhile, Vaschel had gone towards Midna's weaker side, stabbing his sword towards her exposed belly. The sword had barely cut into Midna before she twirled away from Vaschel's weapon. Where Vaschel had cut her, a small line of glowing teal blood dripped out.

"Even her blood is full of the magic." Vaschel shook his head, just as Midna charged forwards and swung the Twi Blade at him.

Quickly Vaschel moved out of the way, a neat sidestep. He attempted a blow towards Midna, but she dodged and continued her offensive attack. Vaschel was left with nothing to do, but dodge her blade and keep his own sword safe from harm.

Veiviser was following the battle intently. "This is ridiculous. He has to worry about his sword and he can't get any hits in."

He rubbed the arm he had injured earlier, wishing that he hadn't hurt it fighting the assassins. Maybe then he could be in on the battle… But what could he really do? He had a club, a club that grew spikes, but he wasn't much of a fighter.

"Vei…" Kamaria pressed a hand against Veiviser's arm, her purple eyes clearly troubled but shining with resolution. "Can you help me up?"

"So we can escape?" Veiviser asked. He didn't want to leave his friends, but he also didn't want Kamaria to stay near here for any longer than necessary. The way he saw it, he could help his best friend get somewhere safe and then return.

"No. I want to try fighting, but I can't stand on my own."

"Are you crazy?" Kamaria scowled at Veiviser as the boy continued to rant. "Your leg is a bloody mess, you can't get up or walk, and you want to fight a superpowered Midna? Well, I'm not going to let you! In fact, I think I'll carry you out of here myself."

Now it was Kamaria's turn to get angry. "Vei, cut it out and look at this logically."

"I am being logical." Veiviser grumbled, but the fury of his outburst had left him.

Kamaria ignored his comment, continuing, "Regular weapons aren't working, but magic might work. At the very least, it'll work better than swords and clubs." She gave him a pointed look. "I just need help standing, but I can still do magic."

"I don't want you to be –"

"Vei, this is an order." Her voice had turned into a regal voice, startling Veiviser. "Help me stand."

Veiviser glanced anxiously towards Vaschel. The man's movements had grown slower and he was just barely managing to sidestep Midna's attacks. Sooner or later he would be forced to use his sword to defend himself and then he would be weaponless. He looked back at Kamaria who was staring at him intently.

Veiviser sighed loudly, "Fine."

Kamaria smiled and placed an arm around Veiviser's shoulders as he helped her up. There was a brief stab of pain from her injured leg, but she simply tightened her jaw and ignored it. Summoning up magic, she sent a bolt towards Midna.

The bolt of magic caught Midna off-guard, sending the Twili several feet through the air. The princess snarled in pain before turning towards Kamaria.

"You shouldn't have done that, little girl." Midna snarled.

She charged towards the pair, giving Kamaria barely enough time to throw up a shield. The Twi Blade hit the shield, bringing a yelp from Kamaria's throat. Even though the shield withstood the initial attack, cracks were rapidly appearing from where the Twi Blade had lodged into the shield.

"Do something." Veiviser hissed in panic.

"I…" Kamaria's voice stuck in her throat as the magical shield shattered. She was sent falling to the floor, Veiviser landing by her side. Her purple eyes stared in Midna with terror.

"Midna, enough."

While everyone had been focused on fighting one another, Link had slowly gotten up. He was standing right by Midna's side now. His arms wrapped around Midna, causing her to jump in alarm.

"Link. Get away before she kills you." Veiviser hissed nervously. So far Midna had done nothing, besides flinch, and he didn't want to jolt her into hurting Link.

"I know what I'm doing." Link's face told a different story, but Veiviser decided to trust the Hylian's judgment.

Midna growled. "Release me."

"Midna, snap out of it. This isn't you." Link whispered into her ear, meanwhile pinning her arms to her side. Staring at Veiviser, he mouthed some words, _Get the sword_, and glanced down at the Twi Blade for good measure.

Veiviser stared blankly back. He had never been any good at reading lips, but the gesture to the sword was clear enough. However, the problem of removing the sword puzzled Veiviser.

"Of course it's still me, but better. More enlightened. Stronger." Midna's eyes shone brightly.

"What about your friends? Me? Does all this power make us replaceable?" Link continued to watch Veiviser, wondering what was taking the boy so long. Again, he mouthed _Get the sword _to him, just in case the boy hadn't understood his initial message.

"I don't need anyone anymore. Now let me go." The teal glow intensified around Midna, making her skin burning hot to the touch.

Link's jaw tightened, but he continued to hold on. He couldn't let go of her. He couldn't let her become a monster. He loved her too much to allow it to happen, even if it meant getting hurt to do it.

The pain was overbearing now. It dulled Link's senses until all he could see was the teal glow of Midna's magic. Finally his tight jaw slackened and howls of pain escaped.

Veiviser stared in panic before determination filled his gaze. "I'm going in." His trusty club materialized in his hand as he stood up. "Back me up?" The boy asked, glancing at Kamaria. The girl nodded, tightlipped.

With that, Veiviser charged towards Midna, making no sound besides the slap of his feet on the stone floor. A purple glow enveloped his club, help from Kamaria. If Midna hadn't been distracted with getting Link to release her, she would've noticed the boy. However, she was too busy to notice the club as it swung down towards her hand.

There was a sharp cracking sound; Veiviser wasn't sure whether it was his club or the bones in Midna's hand at that moment. Then the Twi Blade slipped from Midna's hand. As Veiviser stared dumbly down at it, he could see the howling faces in the blade fade away.

With all the power gone, Midna's magic left her and she collapsed to the ground, momentarily shocked at the loss. Link fell down along with her, his breathing deep and gasping.

Between his deep breaths, he managed to ask, "Midna, are you okay?"

Veiviser pushed the Twi Blade several feet away from Midna with a wary toe before returning. "That was scary… Let's not do it again." He glanced around at the faces around him: a nervous Morgana, a relieved Vaschel, a fearful Lita (she had been hiding during the battle, but had come out afterward), a smiling Kamaria, a tired Link, a weary Midna.

"What was that?" Vaschel asked, approaching them slowly.

Midna stared around her before pushing herself up. "I think so." She answered Link's question first before looking over at Vaschel and the others. The same question hung in everyone's eyes.

_What was that? _

She thought back to when Griff had first handed her the sword. _"It has magic in it, powerful and corruptive magic." _He had warned her to be careful with it, to not overuse it, before adding that he didn't think anything bad would happen to her. And now this had happened… So much for Griff's warning. She had disregarded it in a time of need, just like she had disregarded Devincha's warning about the amulet.

"Midna…" Link murmured, drawing her away from thoughts of the past. "What happened?"

"The sword has good and bad magic in it." Midna began with a light sigh. "Its power can corrupt. I guess it finally caught up to me."

Everyone was silent for a few moments before Veiviser broke the silence. "I saw faces in the sword. They were scary faces." He glanced at it uncertainly before looking at Midna for an explanation.

The Twili shrugged. "I saw the faces too, but I don't know who they are. They could be the victims who fell to the blade… or they could be the souls of those who got absorbed in the blade's power."

She shivered. Her second guess, which Midna was sure was true though she didn't say so, had been so close to coming true for her. She had been ready to toss everything else out the window, just for the sweet thrill of the power in her veins. If her friends hadn't been able to separate her from the sword… she would surely have ended up like the rest of the faces in the sword.

"Well, we're glad you aren't psycho anymore." Veiviser said slowly, grinning at the end of his statement.

She smiled back at him. "I'm glad I'm back to normal too. Thank you, Vei, for smashing my hand." Midna glanced down at her hand. It was bloody, the bone bent strangely.

Veiviser chuckled. "No problem. I'll gladly break your hand again if necessary."

"And thank you Link." She looked over at the Hylian, eyes going wide as she took in his condition. "We still need to get you back to Hyrule. Where's the amulet?"

Kamaria piped in. "I still have it." She fingered the obsidian star nervously. "Will it work?"

Midna nodded. "It should. Devincha should come around this time." She wasn't sure how destroying Gavin would affect the amulet, but surely it could still work. "Anyway, it's our only chance to save Link."

The Hylian smiled weakly at Midna. "Let's hope there aren't any more Twili stuck in that amulet. Go ahead."

Veiviser helped Kamaria move over to Link and Midna. Once the two princesses had grasped hands, they spoke together, "Azalen, Traque, Galef, Twilides."

This time, the amulet glowed the same blue that Midna remembered from her summoning with Griff. Once the light had gone away, Devincha was left floating there. She was exactly like Midna remembered her: the same flowing red locks, the same blue glow, the same teal markings. However, her honey eyes were currently narrowed in disapproval.

"I thought I told you not to use the amulet again." Devincha's eyes bored into Midna, awaiting an explanation from her descendent.

"It was an emergency." Midna said, gesturing towards Link. "He's sick with something called the Viduata Solis. Ever heard of it?" At the end, her tone turned accusatory.

Devincha shook her head. "Never."

"Well, it comes from being in the Twilight Realm for too long." Midna sighed. "We needed to take him back and the amulet is the only way we know." _Besides the ceremony in the book, but by the next eclipse, Link will be dead unless he goes home. _

Devincha sighed. "Well, I suppose such a reason is acceptable." Her gaze swept over the ruined throne room. "What did you do about Gavin? I felt a disturbance…"

"I… destroyed him." Midna replied ruefully, thinking about her battle with Gavin. "That's okay, right?"

Devincha shook her head. "It destabilized the amulet."

"Which means?" Veiviser, never one to keep his mouth shut when faced with the unknown, questioned.

Devincha glanced at Veiviser before turning her attention back to Midna. "The amulet will fall apart in a few days. It was meant to house two souls and without Gavin's, it'll cease working. This will be the last time you can summon me."

It wasn't a huge loss, Midna figured. Besides not getting to visit Link whenever, but it's not like she would forever be isolated from him. If she could get the Reise igjennom Virkelig to work, then she would be able to visit Link at every eclipse.

"I see… You're not upset about it?" Midna asked.

"No. It's time my soul was allowed to leave this world. The amulet was meant to be a way to create peace as well as hoard power, but it's been a prison." Devincha looked melancholy for a few moments before looking back at Link. "Now shall I take him back or would you like to say your good-byes?"

They were short on time, but some quick good-byes were necessary. Vaschel and Morgana both kneeled down besides Link.

"We would've liked to see you in action with your sword." Morgana began with a smile.

"But seeing you stand up against Midna in your condition was incredible on its own. We can really see how you became the Hero of Twilight." Vaschel grinned at Link, thumping his shoulder as a friendly gesture.

Link smiled back. "Thanks, you two." He hadn't gotten to know them as well as he would've liked, but they were good people.

"See ya, Link." They echoed before stepping away.

To everyone's surprise, Lita skipped over. She reached out a hand, fingering Link's blonde hair, before pulling back to touch her own blonde hair.

"You lied about being from the Twilight Realm and you tried to take my sister away from me." Link shrugged apologetically. "But I still like you. You're the only person, other than Da-daddy," her voice caught in her throat and she gulped down tears. "Other than Daddy who has yellow hair like me."

Link smiled back at the girl. "Well, it's a fairly common color back in Hyrule." He paused before adding, "Be a good girl and let your sister stay here. The kingdom needs her."

Lita looked like she wanted to protest before nodding, "If you say so, Link. But I'm not letting her live alone."

Kamaria looked at her sister in surprise. "What about Honap? Aren't you going back?"

Lita frowned and shook her head roughly. "I don't wanna go back if you're not coming with Mommy and me. We can stay and live here." She stamped her foot on the floor for good measure.

Kamaria smiled and nodded her head. "I'll make sure you have a nice room." She turned her eyes towards Link. "Good-bye Link. I'm sorry we didn't meet under the best circumstances."

Link shrugged before agreeing, "I don't really meet that many people in nice circumstances." He nudged Midna playfully. "For example, I met Midna in prison."

Midna smiled at the boy. "Those were good times."

"Link." The Hylian looked over at Veiviser who was obviously trying very hard not to cry. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"I'll miss you too, Vei." He smiled sadly. "But no need to cry. You're going to be alright. Just train hard with that club of yours… And when the time comes, don't hold back the truth."

Veiviser looked confused at the second piece of advice before nodding his head. "Okay Link… But what do you mean by that?"

"You know…" Link glanced quickly at Kamaria, causing the boy to blush heavily.

"Well, good-bye Link." Veiviser said loudly to avoid any more conversation on the topic. "I hope we'll see each other again."

"Definitely."

Link looked over at Midna. She was the last person he wanted to say good-bye to, the last person he wanted to leave. If only fate hadn't been so cruel to tear them apart like this, if only he could survive in this world along with her for the rest of their lives, if only he could back to the days of their adventuring. But things didn't work that way and he would have to settle with living in another realm.

"I love you, Midna." Link leaned over, kissing her on the lips.

She kissed him back, passion feeding into the desperation and love of the kiss. It was a kiss that told them both that their love was true and that being separated was the last thing they wanted. It was a good-bye kiss, a kiss that said 'I'll miss you' and 'I'll see you again if it's the last thing I do'.

There was a gagging sound, but no one made any attempts to pull the lovers apart. Instead eyes were averted, everyone wishing that they could give the two more privacy. However, there wasn't enough time for that.

Eventually Midna pulled away, whispering, "I love you too, Link."

Devincha opened a portal, revealing the Ordon Spring. "It's time to go." She gestured for Link to come.

Link stood with the help of Midna, hobbling towards the portal. "This isn't going to be the last time we kiss." He promised.

"I promise that come next eclipse, I'll come. Look for me at the spring."

"I will." Link smiled a bittersweet smile. "Good-bye Midna."

"Good-bye Link." They shared one final kiss before Link, nodding farewell to the rest of the gathered Twili, stepped through the portal.

The portal sealed, taking Link away from the Twilight Realm to the bright daytime of the Light Realm.

**A/N: Whew, I liked how that turned out… There's going to be an epilogue after this. I'd like to take this time to invite all my reviewers and readers to ask any questions they'd like. The questions can be about anything, relating to the story's plot, the characters, or the process of writing this story. At the beginning of the epilogue, I'll answer all the questions in the author's note. Thank you for reading this far.**

_**Twilight Phantom Dragon **_


	22. Retreat

**Author's Notes: This is it. I've been working on this story for so long and now it's finally coming to an end. I'll save the thanks for the end author's note. For now, just go and read the epilogue of **_**Blood of the Moon.**_

**For those who are interested in botany, moonflowers bloom at night, which is why I chose them out of all the other flowers. Plus, they're pretty (go check them out on Google). **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Link or anything else from the games. Nintendo has the honor to own it. I also don't own the quote. However, I own Celestria as well as my OCs.**

"Each moment of a happy lover's hour is worth an age of dull and common life."  
_- Aphra Behn_

_**Epilogue: Retreat **_

Link sat on the mossy ground, observing his surroundings. Other than the sound of lapping water from the spring, everything was quiet. He glanced up at the sky where the moon was slowly disappearing. It was beginning.

The Hylian peered around the empty spring nervously. The lunar eclipse had come and she still hadn't arrived. What if it didn't work? What if the book's ritual had just been a load of hocus-pocus? Or worse, what if she just didn't want to come?

Link discarded his second theory immediately, knowing that she loved him as much as he loved her. She had promised she would come and he knew she would try to the best of her ability. But was that good enough?

A shimmer in the air drew Link's attention away from his grim thoughts. He smiled as the familiar runes were drawn in the air, a portal opening to connect the two realms.

Link stood up, dusting himself off and clutching the bouquet of moonflowers that he had gathered earlier. He approached the portal with a purposeful stride, all signs of weakness from before gone.

"Midna." He greeted cheerfully. "I thought you'd never come."

"Well, I did." Midna stepped from the portal. She looked exactly like he remembered her and he spent a few seconds drinking in the sight of her.

Midna stepped towards him, kissing him lightly on the lips. "You're looking much better than before."

Link nodded his head. "I've been feeling better for several weeks now." He held out the white blossoms for her. "These are for you."

Midna accepted the flowers, sniffing at their fragrance. "Thank you, Link. They're beautiful."

"Just like you." He mumbled before he could stop himself.

She looked up from the moonflowers, smiling. "You're just as cheesy as I remember." The boy blushed.

"You wouldn't want me any other way." Link gestured for Midna to follow him over to the spot he had been sitting at. They both sat down, close to one another, and then they shared another kiss.

"I've missed you." Midna said once she had pulled away. "How have things been here?"

"Almost the same as before I left. I'm still helping out at the ranch though I sometimes run deliveries to the castle. Ilia's finally accepted that I won't be returning her love. Epona's glad I'm back too."

"I'm glad you're living your life." She glanced out of him from the corner of her eyes. "There hasn't been any trouble here?"

Link shook his head. Peace had returned to Hyrule and besides the occasional Bulbin attack, violence was rare. "How have things been in the Twilight Realm? Have things in Celestria gotten back on track?"

"Things are good. Kamaria's doing a good job bringing Celestria under control and everyone seems to accept her. She needed some help at first, but I think she's finally getting the hang of ruling her kingdom." Midna paused. "Everyone says hello. Oh and Vei said that he wants to see you again to show off his new tricks." She rolled her eyes.

Link smiled. "Vei's a good kid… Tell him that I can't wait to see them."

"I'll make sure to let him know next time I visit."

The couple lapsed into a comfortable silence before Link leaned over to kiss Midna. "We better make the best of our time."

The Twili smiled back at him. "I've been waiting a while for this." She leaned into him, intensifying the kiss.

They spent the night together in bliss and happiness, their love for one another swelling. Soon they would have to leave another once again, doomed to live in separate realms until the next eclipse came around. But the love of this night, prior nights, and following nights would always linger with them.

The End

**Author's Notes: And that's it. It's been a long journey writing this story and the prior one. Though there have been many frustrations, I've enjoyed writing it and I'm glad I shared it with all of you. Thank you for reading, thanks doubly for those who favorite the story, and eternal thanks for all my lovely reviews. I love hearing from you. **

**Twilight Phantom Dragon **


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